Yesterday on my blustery walk home I saw what I believed to be a plastic bag caught in the blackberries next to the river.  Just as I began to climb down the rocks to retrieve it, I heard a cheery bike bell in the distance.  Martin! pedaling home from weaving class on his bike.  Announcing, “Never fear your son is here!” he got off his bike and quickly scampered down to retrieve what turned out to be a smily balloon. He tied it to the strap of my bag, jumped back on his bike and continued on his way home.  Which left me with my new friend. It has been a long time since I have had a balloon. It was a total delight, and I began to grin like a maniac – which made the tourists avoid making eye contact- which made me laugh out loud – which did not reassure them in the least.

Finding the smily balloon felt like the universe giving me a little nudge towards happiness.  Which made me think about the other little messages being sent lately.

For instance there is the little frog. Joe was doing some yard work over the weekend and heard a huge noise – turned out the frog had somehow gotten into a big black canning pot on the side of the house- under the lid!  Ever since Joe rescued him our evenings and nights have been filled with song.  I have a long term thing about frogs, and his song seems like a benediction of nature.

The flowers are blooming, leaves are unfurling – spring has sprung.  I am ever so grateful not to have pollen allergies – Because the wonderful scents abounding these days turn my walks into aroma therapy sessions.  Then there are the birds. I saw/heard the first Purple Martins of the season this morning. There are Song Sparrows galore, Robins doing their thing, and Ducks in love everywhere I look.  Plus the Crows keep showing up in just the right way to align with my thoughts to emphasize some idea or another.

The lovely mornings have inspired a move out to the front porch for morning toast and coffee – which our two cats enjoy with us immensely. I can’t believe how well they are both recovering from their travails of 2015. Little Miss is turning into the three legged wonder kitty, just 6 months out from her amputation. And Mr. Baggins continues to thrive after rising from the dead in October, when we switched him to a raw diet.  It is such a trip to live with creatures. I have no idea why we waited so long to get cats.

Finally as I walked home from work today in the warm spring sun, there was a beautiful rainbow in the clouds before me nearly all the way. I love rainbows so much, not least of which because my name means rainbow. But they always seem like a sign – I mean how could they not?

Though these are intense times we live in, there are so many completely amazing little miracles all around. May your path bring you a multitude of wonders. Happy Earth Day!