It sneaks up on you, even when you are watching for it. This year I was determined to catch it. I walked almost daily through my favorite park, looking for signs—elegant beech buds stretching long and plump; thorny briars filling up bare ground; jack-in-the-pulpits popping up along the paths. I missed a couple of days, but they were warm and sunny, and that’s all it took. After a soft rain yesterday, I went back. Bare winter trees have leafed into spring—an explosion of bright green. The woods are completely transformed! I swear I’ll catch it next year.