Awaken

What is the land doing where you live? The snow has melted, spring is near. My ranch in the northern plains will be awakening soon but the ground temperatures are still cold. The reservoir ice is frozen, surrounded by sharp tufts of the past season’s golden grass. Last year’s leaves are plastered in grass because no fall winds move the leaves as they fell from the cottonwoods. Only an occasional bird appears on bare cottonwood tree branches, but I know the robins and killdeer are on their way. The Canada geese are winging north. The mole mounds remain frozen, anxious prairie dogs do emerge chattering and chirping when sunshine warms the day. I watch for the delicate sprigs of green. I wait for the yawns and stretches of baby birds in the nest and baby calves nestled by sagebrush.