The Day Mother Nature Played April Fools

We really did eat outside just days before.

We really did put away the salt and pull out the sandals.

We even, foolishly, planted pansies in the warm spring sunshine.

Then in a moment of reminding us we are not in charge, 

Mother Nature sent us scrambling for scrapers and winter coats.

It was an unexpected spring snow,  

a powerful reminder that sunshiny warm days are gifts.

If you looked closely through the icy branches,

covered with real honest-to-goodness-snow that morning,

you could almost see Mother Nature smiling at us! 

Later in the day,

as I scurried around the big city doing business,

I noticed what at first appeared to be more snow!

Then, I realized that Mother Nature was 

filling the streets and our hearts with her real spring gifts.

While it was Spring Break,

I could not help but think about the Central Message

(Common Core connection intended)
gleaned from surprise snow and spring trees. 

I smiled and assured Mother Nature,

"I get the message, don't you worry!"