Forsythia about to bloom

Spring returns to Cape Cod and the rest of New England this weekend, Saturday, March 20th to be exact. And none too soon as far as I’m concerned. We’ve just endured 3+ days of torrential rain and wind from a classic Nor’easter. But even as the temperatures climb into the 50s and the days grow longer now that we’ve turned the clocks ahead for Daylight Savings Time, the spring that I yearn for is weeks away.

When I was little, my Mom used to clip branches of forsythia to force into bloom starting in February. Those seemingly dormant branches sitting for days on end in a tall vase beneath our picture window in the living room were pathetic to look at, I thought, until they burst into brilliant yellow bloom on some sunny afternoon in March. March is the cruelest month, some say, and certainly the longest. Though the gray of winter is beginning to show some signs of greening up around the periphery, the sun has yet to warm the earth enough to put forth the dazzling display of blossoms that April brings.

Being born in April, I tend to think of it as the most hopeful month of the year, for it certainly brings with it its share of promises: tulips and daffodils and flowering trees…the easter bunny…the Boston Marathon…and opening day of baseball season. If you are a Red Sox fan, as I am, opening day signifies an opportunity for dreams to come true. Gone are last year’s slumps and injuries and tragic losses. What lies ahead are new records to break and MVPs to be found and, yes, the chance, the hope, for a pennant race and a series win.

Fenway Park, Home of the Red Sox

So I’ll patiently wait to turn each page of the calendar throughout the rest of March and into April, knowing that as each day’s sun sets, a new one will rise in the morning, and we’ll all be that much closer to our own dreams of spring.

In the meantime, here are a couple of great weekend festivals to welcome spring on Cape Cod. Book your stay at the High Pointe Inn in West Barnstable, MA well in advance to enjoy these fun-filled weekend fests!

Nantucket’s Annual Daffodil Festival Weekend, April 23-25, 2010

Nantucket’s traditional welcome to spring, the annual Daffodil Festival celebrates the return of over three million daffodils that blanket the island in springtime. Special events include the Antique Car Parade and Tailgate Picnic, Daffodil Flower Show, Children’s Daffodil Parade, Daffy Hat Contest, Window Decorating Contest and Daffy Dog Parade.

Nantucket Daffodil Parade

Brewster in Bloom Festival, April 30-May 2

An exciting local Cape Cod festival, Brewster in Bloom is a town-wide celebration featuring an antique fair, fine arts & crafts show, band concert, and more. The festival runs for three days and culminates in a Bloom Parade down Main St.