Watching Winter Recede

Dear Diary,

Slowly, inch by inch, winter recedes across my back field.  It creeps silently towards the woods on the south side.  Each day it retreats a bit further and I know that spring is on its way.  Oh, we may have temporary set backs.  A bit of snow here and there but it is inevitable.

You can no more hold back spring than you can stop the wind from blowing and remembering that is very reassuring to me and yet it is daunting as well.  Time marches on whether we march along with it or not.  Today is the "Ides of March" and I remember being in the hospital on this day over 50 years ago to have my knee operated on. The beginning of my knee problems that haunt me still today.  I was there on St. Patrick's Day too but I will leave that funny story for Thursday...