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Autobiographical Essays
Beate Caspari-Rosen, MD (1910 - 1995)
Can Spring Be Far Behind?
A few days ago I saw a father and mother swan inspecting a place along the shore of a small lake near Whitney Center. They were looking for a place where they had built their nest last year. The lake is still partly frozen, but along the edges the water is clear and shimmering in the sun. Are they thinking of rebuilding their nest and producing a new generation of swan?
And last week I surprised, or better yet, a couple of red finches surprised me when I found them feeding at the bird feeder attached to my bedroom window. They have their nest across from my apartment in a tree which also houses titmice, which do not leave in the winter; they have found me a reliable neighbor to feed them through the difficult winter months.
And have you noticed that the crocuses near the front entrance; they have pushed some green feelers through the earth and snow and can hardly wait to come out in full bloom. Do nature's creatures feel better with the approach of spring than we poor humans? The Canadian geese have also arrived after winterizing in the south. Do they intend to take off again to fly north to Canada or will they settle down with us and enjoy an early spring. I worry about all these foolish things but perhaps they know better and we all may enjoy an early spring.