It is not warm enough for shorts.  Yet, as the thermometer inches up toward the 70° mark, I find myself itching to shed the warm sweaters, scarves and corduroys that have kept me warm through an unusually cold winter.

Heading home from work today, I stopped at Home Depot to pick up a new butane tank for the grill on our back patio. Our two dogs can feel the change too. They bounded down the stairs, tails wagging, straining to dart out the back door.

I carried the plate with hamburgers and hot dogs. My husband had the grilling utensils. Our backyard has yet to come out of its winter slumber. Most branches are bare and the mulch looks bleached like driftwood, thanks to a snow-laden winter.

As the dogs chase each other around the yard, familiar summer smells rise from the grill. If I close my eyes, I can almost feel the heat of a summer day fading with the sunset. It may not be warm enough for shorts yet, but after a lovely evening on the back patio, I can take a deep breath and know change is just around the corner.