Catriona and Gavin looked out the window. “Mama, I'm
sick of all this snow. I think it's going to stay like this forever.”
Catriona complained. “All I see is snow and bare trees. There are no
birds chirping or flowers growing and even the stream is covered with
ice.”
“Stop whining, Catriona,” her brother said. “There
are a lot of good things about snow. We can make snowballs and snowmen
and snow angels and we can ice skate on the frozen stream. There are
hares hopping through the snow and it's pretty too.”
“I know it's pretty, but I want this to end so I can
go out and ran in the grass.”
Mama put a plate of shortbread down on the table.
“Come and have something to eat and then you can go outside and walk
around. I think spring will be here soon. There are already signs of
it.”
Gavin and Catriona nibbled the shortbread and then
bundled in their winter coats, scarves, gloves, hats and boots. They
went out into the snow.
“It's hard to walk in all this snow,” Catriona said.
Gavin ran ahead. “I don't have a problem running. You
can't do it because you're a girl and girls can't do anything as well as
boys.”
Catriona glared at her brother. “Oh yes we can. We
can ran as fast anytime we want. I don't want to because I just don't.”
She kept walking, ignoring Gavin.
“What's that noise?” Gavin stopped to listen.
“It sounds like running water,” Catriona said. “But
where?”
The went down to the stream. “Look! The ice is
melting and water's running under it. Mama was right. Spring is almost
here,” Gavin said.
Catriona stared at the stream. She watched the water
bubbling up through the ice and saw that in some spots it was clear and
thing. “Spring is coming.” She smiled and clapped her hands.
“Look at the pine trees. Some of the snow has fallen
from the ends of the limbs. We can see green now instead of just snow.”
Gavin pointed across the stream.
“You're right, Gavin. I see green pine needles. I'm
so happy. Winter's nearly gone,” Catriona said.
Just then a red bird landed on a branch of one of the
dead trees. It chirped and sang Gavin and Catriona a song.
“There you go, Catriona. Now you can get rid of your
winter blues. Spring is almost here.” Gavin hugged his sister.
They ran home. Catriona threw the door open. “Mama,
spring is almost here. I saw a red bird and the stream is melting and we
can see the pine trees.”
Mama laughed. “I told you it was nearly time. Take
off your coats and join me in a cup of hot cocoa.”
Every day after that Catriona and Gavin went for a
walk. Each day the snow melted a little more until finally one day there
was nothing but green grass and chirping birds.