Aching for spring

I'm wishing for spring.  Apparently my trees are as well because I noticed little buds on them when I went out to get my mail this morning.  Those who know me realize that this admission early in March is a big deal.  I am a winter girl.  I don't ski, sled or snowshoe but I absolutely love the snow and cold.  I am also a firm believer that seasons should act as they are meant to. Which means that I get irrationally cranky with people who complain about snow storms in February or even March...at least up till the 20th, the official first day of spring.  But I am weary of winter this year.  Maybe because it's been a lackluster and depressingly dry season with not much wintery weather to be excited about.  Whatever it is, I am aching for warmer weather and sun....and these things:

*To kick off the slippers that I wear daily and go barefoot around the house.
*To put together, stain and set up my new potting bench in the backyard.
*To bike my favorite 21 mile route without having to wear all my winter gear.
*To shop the nursery for little herb and vegetable plants...
*...and to dig in the soil and get it all ready for planting.  I literally want to feel the dirt between my fingers.  (I've been reading "The Good Earth" by Pearl Buck...it's making me crave gardening.)
*To be able to wear all those cute sandals sitting on shelves in my closet.  They look lonely...and dusty.
*To paint my toenails and not then immediately hide them inside a pair of socks and boots.
*To wake up to light outside my window.
*To set set up the patio furniture on my back deck.

However...I have a sneaking suspicion that if Mother Nature favored us with a serious walloping of snow (rather than the puny little 1/2 inch we got last night) I'd probably get on board the winter train once again.