#274 The first warm day of Spring

I went to school in a small town on a big lake.

Sharp winter air bit our cheeks year round as we skidded across slippery slush sidewalks under sweaty bundles of wet scarves and snow-covered hats. Yes, fingers froze and so did toes in our blustery red-faced races to class.

Basically, it was all about getting where you were going and then staying there for good. After all, once you slow-peeled all the steamy layers off you didn’t really feel like moving anymore. Couch sessions were common with video games, basement movies, and dialing for dinner all part of our hibernation preservation.

Yes, we were grizzlies in the den until it finally ringed… When those winter chills faded and then finally bringed… those beautifully warm windy breezes of the first day of Spring!

That’s when warm air finally blew across our faces and woke up all our senses.

It was a beautiful moment.

It is a beautiful moment.

Tiny leaves push through sandy sidewalk cracks reaching out like skinny fists to the heavens. You can picture their invisible roots stretching their dusty arms, shaking cobwebs off their coats, and getting set to push deeper and deeper all summer long.

Warm winds stir up heady smells of dark topsoil, flower pollen, and squished worms. Running shoes soak through yellow grass and tiny mud bubbles rise around every step as you artfully dodge rogue dirty-ice chunks in the shade and last year’s dog poo.

Bike helmets wobble on shaky bikes, tongue-wagging dogs go on street-strolling hikes, and everyone smiles at this moment of delight.

So lose the jacket and get on your feet! Come join the party in the street! Just smell the trees and sniff those blossoms! Because our first warm day of Spring is so completely

AWESOME!

–Email message —

“Nate and I have been dating since the day we met early 2009. Shortly after that, I moved away for school, now he is in the Canadian Navy, and we are at least 4141 km apart every day of the year.
.
This Christmas didn’t work according to plan. Unfortunately, flights didn’t work and the only time we’d have together was in the airport during his two and a half hour layover. We decided to do Christmas at the airport. We also hadn’t seen each other in person for over a year since he left for Naval Training.
.
I got the idea to give him The Book of Awesome and personalize it with comments throughout to make it a really special gift. I spent hours writing in the book. So at the airport, I got Nate to open his present first. He peeled back the paper to reveal the cover and looked at me, shocked, and put the gift down. I told him “There’s more, open the book!” But he was already reaching in his bag. He handed me a parcel and said, “Open it.” I looked at him, smiled and peeled back the paper to reveal the exact same book. We had both personalized the books in the same way, writing comments all over. It was truly an AWESOME Airport Christmas.” – Sarah

Photos from: here and here

54 thoughts to “#274 The first warm day of Spring”

  1. @ Sarah and Nate – that is one of the cutest things I’ve ever heard! (:

    And yeah, first warm day of Spring is, indeed, awesome.

    Unfortunately, we’re heading into winter down here in Australia. I miss warm weather already!

    1. i love love love spring here down under, but yes unfortunetly we have to endure our cold winter here in australia before we can get a glimpse of that warmth & beautiful flowers of our spring. !

      Hurry up winter! get over & done with!

    2. What part of the country do you live in? I’m in the south west and I am the complete opposite to you (except for the Sarah and Nate story- too cute for words!) The first warm day of Spring is really nice for the first few minutes, and then I realise that this is the beginning of super hot days, not even in Summer yet, so then my spirits fall. I am always sick of Summer when it hasn’t even started yet. I love cool weather! <3

      1. I live in Armidale, a little town in NSW (between Tamworth and Coffs Harbour). It is already really cold here – I’m not the biggest fan of sweltering hot weather, but it is ridiculous how cold it is!

        1. Gosh, ok (there is an Armadale south of Perth- i know coz its a stop on the Transwa train :P). Come live over here! it doesnt get that cold, at least not now with global warming. never below 10 degrees or something.

  2. I wish we had Spring. We only get Summer and Fall. It’s been 80-ish for the past month or so.

  3. Agreed. The first warm day is fantastic. I live in Waterloo ON and we just got dumped on with more snow, but someday (hopefully someday soon) the sun will shine and that first warm day will arrive.

    As for Sarah and Nate, that is an amazing story. I love when people write in the margins of books and I think it is so cool that you both thought of that creative gift idea. Nate; thank you for serving our country and Sarah; thanks for sharing such a sweet story with Neil/ us.
    <3

  4. You always knew when the first day of spring hit at college! You walked outside and right into a giant traffic jam of people!! That and the Ben and Jerrys truck (not as good as mr. softee, but acceptable)

  5. I love this! Around here, it got pretty warm for a week or so back in January or February. That always seems to happen and it’s such a tease! Though you know it’s not going to last, everyone bolts outside and soaks it up for as long as they can before it gets cold again. Parks and playgrounds are packed, lines for the car wash snake into the street, the air is filled with the smells of people getting in as much grilling as possible, and sidewalks are congested with people walking their dogs. Then it gets cold again.

    Even now, we’re bouncing back and forth from the 30s to the 70s (°F) and everything in between. Yesterday it was almost 90, which is unreal for our area this time of year! Anyway, when the nice weather is here to stay, it’s amazing.

    It’s cool how different the weather is all over the country/continent. It’s weird to think that people are wearing shorts just miles away from people who are playing in the snow. :)

    1. Argh! I hate the spring tease! I get all excited when I check the weather and there is a week full of 75’s ahead. So I don’t bother to check the weather for the next week and am inevitably shocked when I wake up one morning and the sun is shining and I get dressed for 75 degrees and step outside and BLAMMO! It’s back down to 50 :(

  6. Yesterday was such a pretty, warm day. I loved it!! I had Zach out in the stroller, it was nice to not have to bundle him up when we went out.
    We did have a previous pretty day a couple weeks ago, I took the kids out for a nice long walk. Hopefully we are past crazy weather where it goes from 70 degrees one day to 30 the next.
    Saturday I packed up all of our winter clothes and got out our summer clothes. It was nice to sorta make it ‘final’ that winter is over.

  7. it’s literally like the whole world is waking up. i love spring. i moved to california to try and elongate my spring/summer season, but after living there for a little while i realized something… I like spring ONLY when it’s in between winter and summer. When it’s spring all year round, it’s not really that special. When spring comes after winter, it’s like a personalized gift from god for all the people in the earth (or in the hemisphere anyway).

  8. I received an email from 1000 things saying you had run out and it was over…… It did not sound like you?!?!? What happened?!?!?!?

  9. What a great story! I wish the couple much more awesomeness in their future! You know, Neil, you have some mad skills; yesterday, it was cold, windy, wet, flurrying here and there and pretty miserable. I remember reading this post last night thinking, yeah, like that’s gonna happen around here any time soon… Today, it is unexpectedly warm and muggy out much to my surprise. Well-timed, Neil!

    1. Oh Wisconsin, when will we see spring weather? High’s in the 40’s all week… not as lucky as you, Midwest, but hopefully soon. Just bought a new house & I can’t wait to watch everything bloom! It will be Awesome!

    1. Was I the only one that read the first read the word “vernal” as “venereal”?

      Uh oh.. am I doing it again??

        1. LOL.. “herpes.. you know.. for the kids.. beep beep!”

          Well, I guarantee that’s not the first time that “herpes” and “lindsay lohan” have appeared in the same sentence..

        2. Off topic but, does “last year’s dog poo” deserve a tick mark? We haven’t had one in a while.

          1. Ahahaha! This made me laugh. You’re right- there have been no posts about bathrooms/toilets/human waste for ages!!

          2. Sorry, Lara. You know how much I like to make the tick-marks, but I just don’t think this makes the grade. We’ll just have to keep hoping!

  10. we had some “spring” weather a few weeks ago, and then it got cold/snowy again. Today is the first day in a warm spell, and I celebrated with a picnic lunch outside :) It was awesome – yay spring!

  11. This post put the biggest smile on my face. Today happens to be the first day of the season that has been in the upper seventies in D.C., and yes, it is a “beautiful moment.”

    Thank you! :-)

  12. Yes, even though we have feets of snow yet, and it’s a chilly cold day, there is the smell of spring in the air; the song in my head, “The Rose.”
    Thanks for sharing Nate and Sara’s Awesome Love story:)

  13. That is great and all….in a cold state.
    Try living in the desert.
    We are the converse.

    When the wind starts picking up, and temperatures dropping.
    We don’t hear anymore sweat drops plopping.
    When the air is refreshing, when the air tastes crisp.
    We can feel the change of mindset on our lips.
    Because we wait for the day when the sun doesn’t shine.
    We believe torture is the sun’s design.
    Glaring at our faces from the first signs of spring.
    Then from there on we expect only the worse things.
    The only relief on what we are supposed to call vacation
    is fans in our hands and water recreation.
    That only lasts so long in the desert of a place.
    Yet, some crazy people want to come here and get a taste.
    Someday I want to leave and never see the barren dirt.
    Every time I look at rocks and sand I start to hurt.
    You may wish some heat in your home and that is fine and well.
    Just don’t think that idea is going to swell.
    Us desert-goers hate heat like a deadly disease.
    You may call us hypocrites if you please.
    But some of us did not have a major choice.
    Luckily some of us have found a voice.
    Heat-filled habitations are not meant for our stay.
    And I pray to escape the heat someday.
    So until you feel the wrath of the sun upon your skin.
    I will consider your heat-wishes as if a sin.
    The essence of the heat will never be to gain.
    And will always cause a sincere searing pain.
    Adieu!

    1. Nali Mikely, I did say the new-born rooster sings “it’s a beautiful day”! He does so now every morning:) Hahaha!
      There’s still snow, 2000′ above sea level, but I just found some pussy-willows on my walk-about. However chilly-this is also a sign of spring!
      I wouldn’t trade all the beauties of these 4 seasons, ever!
      We literally have to adjust from -30 degrees at times in winter to plus 30-40 degrees celcius when summer arrives! It’s wild yet wonderful, really!
      I once read in a “Magic School Bus” book, that at night when it rains in the desert, some really remarkable creatures come out and flowers bloom; I thought this is as awesome as your “dream”! Do you ever see this?
      In the meantime, at least you can visit beautiful places on the computer, in your creative mind and in this wonderful world of Awesome Land.

  14. first day of over 70 in philly today in a long time, shorts and sweatshirt weather when I get home from work, windows open in the apartment, just ate dinner outside, life is good :)

  15. Hey guys!

    Its Sarah here! From the story in this post. I just thought I’d introduce myself and leave a little update!

    Currently, Nathan is out on a sail for the forces, I miss him a lot but we email as much as we can. However! In 18 days I am moving in with him!!! Its going to be amazing, and we literally can’t wait. We’ve been counting down since Christmas for this day!

    We are extremely happy still and have been talking about the future, we couldn’t be happier.

    When he’s sailing he does a lot of little things to make me feel better. He’ll mail packages without telling me and call me at a random hour of the day when he can find service, and even surprises me with weekends he’s gotten off from his sails and gets to be at home.

    I miss him dearly, but we are closing the gap between us in 18 days!! The two years of crazy long distance is finally coming to a close and I absolutely cannot wait.

    For those of you in long distance relationships, keep your chin up! Its all about communication, whenever possible. Nathan and I keep in touch in so many different ways, and we even have “dates” by both renting (or streaming) the same movie, and watching it together while we talk on Skype. Don’t give up! Dreams do come true, and beautiful relationships come out of the strangest places. Don’t be afraid to fall in love.

    As for Nate and I, we’re looking forward to the future… Both of us agree, the moment at the airport when he reached for the same book for me was the moment we realized we’re meant to be together.

    Sorry if this is too cheesy for words! We’re a pretty corny couple. Hahaha! Enjoy guys, and keep being AWESOME.

    1. Thank you Sarah, for sharing such a wonderful story. Hearing things like that makes me feel so much peace knowing tat some things are meant to be…and knowing that goodpeople will find their way to each other. Bless your love, and your life together. <3

    2. :) It’s nice to know how things are going with you guys. And it’s okay– I’m a sucker for corny things

  16. It snowed on Friday, so I went out to the bus stop with the notion that I would need a coat. I hadn’t gone two steps when I realized that it was going up into the mid 70s. So I went back inside, and for the first time since early October 2010, went to school without a jacket of some kind.

  17. Is that the same guy who wrote that cute little song of awesome things for his girlfriend that you posted a while back?

  18. Sarah and Nate, that is such an awesome story to hear! I met the love of my life while across the continent for an extended work deployment and after we went back to our home towns, the distance has now separated us. I am so happy (yet a bit envious) to hear that some couples can endure it. Keep it up, you two!

  19. We’re still waiting for the elusive first warm day of Spring. Rain and snow showers this week; we still have over a foot in the yard with multi-foot piles. I have a new acronym for April: All Piles Recede In Layers. Waiting for the recession.
    This time last year my wife had been in the pool. This year the dogs are still walking on the ice on it.
    When it does get here, the first warm day will be especially AWESOME!

  20. aww their story is so cute and it really made me smile ’cause I did the same thing for my boyfriend at Christmas! :-)

  21. #274-1 Speaking of first day of spring – “Finally getting to wear sandals after months of winter boots and wooly socks.”

  22. IT WAS TODAY. And though people have said it, for me today was the first shorts and sandals day :) Even better, it’s supposed to stay this nice all week

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