They call them pussy willows,
but there’s not a cat to see,
except the little furry toes that stick out on the tree.
And every year it worries me.
I cannot ever find
those willow cats
who ran away and left their toes behind.

I found them today. The tiniest, soft, grey buds peeking through the monotone brush edging my lane. It is spring!

“Those willow cats” are my touchstone every year.   My symbol of renewal, of life returning to the woods, is wrapped up in “the little furry toes that stick out on the tree.”

I snip off a few branches to bring inside and stick into jars, surrounding myself with soft reminders that, despite evidence to the contrary, spring truly has sprung in Southern Ontario, Canada.

Just don’t expect too much, too fast, is my caveat.   Mother Nature cannot be rushed. The sap flows, the snow melts, the temperature climbs s l o w l y.

'Let Nature be your teacher', Wordsworth tells us.  And we learn to take time, to notice the wheel of life, the never-ending cycle of birth, growth, love, fulfillment, and death. Nature has much wisdom for us if we pay attention: Patience. Wonder. Resilience. Trust. Acceptance.

Activate these qualities. Wisdom begins in wonder.

With April comes Easter. Earth is reborn and shows us everlasting life. Eostar is the goddess of dawn and new beginnings, spring and rebirth.  Her name sounds like Easter, because the early Christians took the name from this ancient Pagan goddess.

Eostar’s sacred animal is the rabbit or hare. Of course.

Hares, larger and wilder than rabbits, are identified with magic and mystery. The magical Easter Bunny delivers eggs decorated with flower colours.  Sometimes he hides them, the little trickster. Sometimes they’re chocolate!

How consciously do we celebrate this holiday? The way we do anything is the way we do life.

Think about the plastic that we bring home to surprise and delight our children: plastic eggs, grass, baskets, chicks, ducks, bags, and more. A whole pile of plastic trash, most of which cannot be recycled.

What if we replaced that Dollar Store plastic with real wicker, or wood, or fabric baskets that can be re-purposed later? Decorate with flowers, ribbon, or fabric. Get creative.

Fill them with shredded, coloured-paper-grass or an Easter napkin. Think eco-friendly alternatives. If you must use plastic egg containers for treats, reuse them next year.

Try to find Fair Trade chocolate. The horrors that surround the cocoa growing trade involve slave and child labour and abuse. With Fair Trade we know who the growers are.

Why not colour your own eggs naturally? Really impress your kids or grandkids by using real food rather than ‘food colouring’ to dye real eggs.

A bunch of onionskins for gold. Turmeric for yellow (2 Tbsps). Two cups of chopped red cabbage turns them blue. Blueberries for purple (1 cup), and for green you can use matcha tea powder, or a handful of coltsfoot. Two cups of chopped beets work for pink, and for brown, use coffee grounds or (4) black tea bags.

Bring each to a boil with two cups of water. Then add two Tbsps. vinegar to each dye job before lowering the eggs into it.

Always try to find local eggs if possible. Battery-caged hens live a horrific life and what they eat/ how they live is transferred to us when we consume them or their eggs. I buy organic simply because I cannot be part of the animal cruelty loop.

Mostly, all of the above is offered to endorse having fun over the holiday, and rocking the creativity – yours and your kids’, whatever their ages.

This weekend I wish you heartfelt connection with family, friends, and nature.  Take the time.  Go for a long walk.  Find pussy willows.  Wear rubber boots.  Discover that the year truly is ‘at the spring’ . . . and 'the world is mud-luscious and puddle wonderful'. (e.e. cummings)