Spring Cleaning

Did any of you get spring cleaning done over spring break? I would have liked to! Oh well, why do today what you can put off 'till tomorrow!

Spring Cleaning

March bustles in on windy feet

And sweeps my doorstep and my street.

She washes and cleans with pounding rains,

Scrubbing the earth of winter stains.

She shakes the grime from carpet green

Till naught but fresh new blades are seen.

Then, house in order, all neat as a pin,

She ushers gentle springtime in.

-Susan Reiner

Out-of-Doors

We had a couple of great days for playing outside this week. It was so nice to finally send the kids out!

Out-of Doors

The kids are out-of-doors once more;
The heavy leggings that they wore,
The winter caps that covered ears
Are put away, and no more tears
Are shed because they cannot go
Until they're bundled up just so.
No more she wonders when they're gone
If they have put their rubbers on;
No longer are they hourly told
To guard themselves against a cold;
Bareheaded now they romp and run
Warmed only by the kindly sun.
She's put their heavy clothes away
And turned the children out to play,
And all the morning long they race
Like madcaps round about the place.
The robins on the fences sing
A gayer song of welcoming,
And seems as though they had a share
In all the fun they're having there.
The wrens and sparrows twitter, too,
A louder and a noisier crew,
As though it pleased them all to see
The youngsters out of doors and free.
Outdoors they scamper to their play
With merry din the livelong day,
And hungrily they jostle in
The favor of the maid to win;
Then, armed with cookies or with cake,
Their way into the yard they make,
And every feathered playmate comes
To gather up his share of crumbs.
The finest garden that I know
Is one where little children grow,
Where cheeks turn brown and eyes are bright,
And all is laughter and delight.
Oh, you may brag of gardens fine,
But let the children race in mine;
And let the roses, white and red,
Make gay the ground whereon they tread.
And who for bloom perfection seeks,
Should mark the color on their cheeks;
No music that the robin spouts
Is equal to their merry shouts;
There is no foilage to compare
With youngsters' sun-kissed, tousled hair:
Spring's greatest joy beyond a doubt
Is when it brings the children out.
-Edgar Guest

In Like A Lion...

Thank goodness we are on our way out. I have had enough of winter and I am ready for the gentle chill of spring. With the songs of birds and the blooms of flowers and children playing outside for hours. Hey I'm a poet and I didn't know it. But my feet show it. They're longfellows. But seriously, today's poem is short, sweet and to the point. I'm sure you have seen it before.

In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb

March roars in like a lion so fierce,

the wind so cold, it seems to pierce.

The month rolls on and Spring draws near,

and March goes out like a lamb so dear.

-Lorie Hill

Spring

Spring

Today is the day when bold kites fly,

When cumulus clounds roar across the sky.

When robins return, when children cheer,

When light rain beckons spring to appear.

Today is the day when daffodils bloom,

Which children pick to fill the room,

Today is the day when grasses green

When leaves burst forth for spring to be seen.

-Robert McCracken

Written In March

As winter is finally ending (we hope), I dream of the spring days ahead!

Written In March

The cock is crowing,
The stream is flowing,
The small birds twitter,
The lake doth glitter
The green field sleeps in the sun;
The oldest and youngest
Are at work with the strongest;
The cattle are grazing,
Their heads never raising;
There are forty feeding like one!

Like an army defeated
The snow hath retreated,
And now doth fare ill
On the top of the bare hill;
The plowboy is whooping - anon-anon:
There's joy in the mountains;
There's life in the fountains;
Small clounds are sailing,
Blue sky prevailing;
The rain is over and gone!

-William Wordsworth