Early May. Humid air. Hooves and sun beat the earth. The arena smells of dirt and manure. Dust stings my eyes as I focus on the golden equine loping around me. The birds chirp, spying on us as I concentrate on the powerful muscles in his gleaming hindquarters. The other horses peer over the aluminum fence, intrigued by the training session. A warm breeze drifts through the maple trees. Chickens of all sizes and colors roam the barnyard, sleeping, eating, and allowing their newly hatched chicks to explore. The cows in the lush, green alfalfa field graze and chew their cud, nursing this year's calves in their first days of life and soaking up the warming spring air. The smell of freshly melted snow and mud lingers on the breeze floating through the farm. Lost clumps of hay roll along the ground, pausing in puddles made by truck and tractor tires. The bees begin to wake after their hibernation, congregating in the corners of sheds and abandoned vehicles. The inviting light greens and blues associated with springtime dapple the landscape.The trees are beginning to blossom, adding a touch of pink and white to the view and a whiff of flowers to the fragrant air.
Spring has once again returned, and brought with it a new beginning.