The first day of Spring this year was last Saturday on March 2oth.

The weather was beautiful wasn’t it? Better than today. It’s such a phenomenon here in Utah in early spring-everyone moving outside at the same time; biking, walking the dog, beginning early yard work, the surveying of brown lawns and scrawny gardens.

Neighbors you’ve hardly seen all winter are suddenly there on your sidewalk saying hello. Their children have chalk in hand, ready to make colorful drawings and hop-scotch lines on the cold sidewalk, not yet warmed by strong sunlight.

Yes, yes, I know it’s a cliché to talk about the first Spring Robins, but there he was a few blocks away from my home in someone’s overgrown side yard sitting on a clothes line. I was out for a walk with my dog when I saw him discreetly looking at me.

He was a large sturdy fellow, probably 3-4 years old, looking quite stout like an English gentleman. His strong, sturdy legs over his enormous girth. He gave me a nod and a look with his dark eyes that said winter hadn’t been too terribly difficult but none the less, he was happy to see that spring was here. And then he hopped away just like that after saying hello.

(He looked nothing like the Danish porcelain robin from my mother that I photographed for the story.)

More informations about robins here: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Robin/lifehistory

Lyrics to song: http://www.tsrocks.com/d/dean_martin_texts/when_the_red_red_robin.html