This is one of my favorite times of the year.

No, I don’t love the cold, rainy conditions that Mother Nature is still sending our way from time to time. But I do enjoy the longer days that mean I might make it out of the office before dark once in a while. I revel in the really warm days that are interspersed with more seasonal ones. And I feel a sense of hope and excitement for the warmer weather ahead.

Some of the things that make me happy this time of year are pretty simple. I am thrilled that the grass on my lawn is already a deep emerald green. I know that means I’ll need to do some mowing soon, but that is a chore I don’t really mind doing.

In the evenings, it makes me smile when I climb out of my car and hear the spring peepers calling to one another at the nearby creek.

And I enjoy watching the wildlife that lives all around our region start to emerge again. Sure, I spotted deer frequently throughout the winter, but in the past few weeks I have seen rabbits, squirrels, skunks, raccoons and even an opposum.

And those critters aren’t limited to ground level. Already this year I have heard mourning doves cooing from the pine tree behind my house. I have spotted male and female cardinals chasing each other from branch to branch. I’ve seen robins, sparrows and even noticed a bluebird flying across the road in front of my car near Centerville.

All of that makes me long to get outdoors again. I want to smell the scent of fresh cut grass.

I can’t wait to get my hands in the dirt again, whether that be planting a vegetable garden or cleaning up a flower bed. Heck, even taking time to work on some potted plants would do.

Soon spring will be here in earnest, and I intend to enjoy every minute of it. That could mean simply rocking on my back porch or swinging on my porch swing while I pet the cat.

Or, it might mean that I climb a ladder to scrape and paint a portion of the house. Either way, I know I will enjoy just being outside of the house, breathing in fresh air and soaking up some sunshine.