A Boy and his Puddles in the early Spring

Besides the robins, tulips, daffodils and geese, kids playing in and walking through puddles created by melting snow are a sign of spring despite occasional snow squalls and the wind howling. I bet most kids would say playing in those puddles is a favorite thing to do as Mother Nature tries her best to turn Winter into Spring.

I know my nine-year old grandson would agree. The top photo shows him at age three, standing in one of those puddles after jumping up and down, laughing with his hands flying, losing his breath when some of the flying melted snow splashes him in the face. But kids don't feel getting soaking wet in a puddle. They just keep jumping and laughing, eventually racing inside to get warmed up with a cup of hot chocolate.

The 2nd photo shows my grandson the other morning after sleeping over the night before. Nine years old now, he didn't jump up and down, but he did make waves with his boots. Then he took a stick and looked for fish or other fantastical creatures he could imagine. And as he went exploring in the puddle, he told me some of his greatest fishing stories because, he himself is one fantastical fisherman.

Kids and puddles go together like peanut butter and jelly. When I was my grandson's current age, springtime was meant to explore the outdoors after snowstorms had covered the ground for what seemed like forever. A stream ran along one side of my grandparent's farmhouse and that is where my cousin and I played whenever we could. Sometimes we each found a twig. Our twigs became our racing boats. We'd put our twigs in the stream and race one against the other. I can't remember how many times I won or lost but I do remember getting soaked and laughing out of control.

But that was okay. 

That was a part of playing in that stream in the early spring. Just like my grandson playing in a puddle.