Okay, so the weekend's over, it's Monday morning, and you're back in the salt mines. When the weather starts warming up, it's so hard to drag yourself to work, isn't it?

But here's the thing: When you go home this evening, it will still be light. You can then proceed to the inspection we've conducted every evening for the last few weeks: Bend down close the ground and search for little green things. Not bugs -- buds. Look for tender shoots that seem so vegetal you could eat them.

Shove back that last grainy pile of snow and you might find an entire snowdrop plant -- green leaves and white blossom -- for all its glory looking as if it had spent the winter at the beach instead of under three feet of snow.

Hellebores, dwarf irises, even the narrow green spears of a clump of chives: They're all present for you at the end of the day, ready to remind you that there's a force, a will to grow and flourish that's outside of human control and intent.

Such an important reminder when leaving the office.

Get home too late to see the earth's works in the light? Then do what we've done, many a time: Strap on the headlamp.

There's stuff happening out there, and you don't want to miss it.