My colleague Jon is fond of repeating: “You know what they say about the weather around here…if you don’t like it now just wait five minutes.” That is the perfect description of March in the Pacific Northwest. It is very early spring here, which means most of the snow has melted out of the yard and occasionally there is a burst of birdsong from the trees. But there can be a white squall of whirling snow or a bone-chilling downpour in an instant. Big billowing cumulus clouds with dark purple-gray bottoms pile up over the ridges, dump some rain, then dissipate in a blast of wind.

But, oh, when the sun shines! The warmth penetrates skin and brightness lifts the spirit. My boon companion, being feline, takes full advantage of sun spots. He stalks in from rain storms with spiky fur, demanding that I turn off the shower. But a bit of sunshine mellows him right out and suddenly all is well in the world.

I’m pretty sure I heard the soft chirp of a bluebird the other day. Snowdrops bloom, and crocus appear where snow flattened their slim leaves. From now on, the rush toward spring accelerates. But just to make sure we don’t take it for granted, just wait five minutes. The weather is bound to change.