Spring Green

asparagus, Granny Smith apple, shamrock, inch worm, fern

Have you toured a crayon box lately? Things sure have changed since I was a kid. As I worked on a project with students that involved a bit of coloring, I began taking notice to the names on the broken bits of color sticks that comprised our giant Crayola box.

Today's names come in an imaginative variety from macaroni-and-cheese, to wild blue yonder, fuzzy-wuzzy brown, outer space, Purple Heart, purple mountain's majesty, wild strawberry, and tumbleweed.

A quick visit to the Crayola website revealed many of these colors were not as new as I thought them to be, thanks to the handy chronology of colors. What began as 8 colors in 1903 has expanded to the present 120 hues. Even more interesting was seeing how changing times in the U.S. have influenced the names of colors.

A lift in spirits has recently accompanied my days of city dwelling as two of my favorite colors, blue and green, have become more prevalent during daily commutes and outings. The usual grey funk that rules the sky has given way to blue made all the more lovely with the addition of white clouds.

Not only is spring in the air but on the plants and trees that line the roads and fill the parks. I had almost forgotten about that tint of green that exists with the newness of life that blossoms this time of year. In a place with year round greenery and subtle season changes, the radiant color of spring green highlighted by warm morning light reminds me of what it means to have spring return.