12 Gentle Signs Spring Is Slowly Returning

(Even If It Still Feels Like Winter)

There’s a particular time of year — usually late February, sometimes early March — when nothing looks dramatically different, and yet something feels subtly changed.

It’s still cold.
The ground is still wet.
The coats are still heavy and the evenings still long.

And yet.

If you’re paying attention, there are little signs everywhere that winter is loosening its grip. Not in a loud, celebratory way. More like a quiet shifting. A soft inhale before movement.

Spring doesn’t arrive all at once.
It tiptoes in.

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Here are a few gentle signs I’ve learned to notice over the years — not as proof that winter is “over,” but as reassurance that things are beginning to stir again.

1. The light lingers just a little longer

It might only be ten minutes, but suddenly you notice you’re not switching on the lamps quite as early. There’s a pause between afternoon and evening that wasn’t there before — and it feels like a gift.

2. Mornings feel brighter, even when they’re still cold

The air might still bite, but the darkness lifts earlier. There’s a sense of arrival to the day rather than being dragged into it.

3. Birds make themselves known again

Not the background chirping of winter — but proper birdsong. Louder. More confident. As if someone has turned the volume up on nature.

4. You notice buds before you notice blooms

Tiny signs on branches. Easy to miss. Nothing showy yet — just quiet evidence that growth is happening beneath the surface.

5. You start opening windows again — briefly

Not for hours. Just five or ten minutes. A bit of fresh air feels manageable again, even welcome.

6. You crave fresher food… but still want soup

There’s a strange overlap where salads sound appealing and you still want something warm at dinner. This in-between appetite is a sure sign of seasonal transition.

7. The idea of tidying feels appealing — but not overwhelming

Not a full spring clean. Just a shelf. A drawer. A small reset. You want clarity, not chaos.

8. Washing on the line feels possible again

Even if it’s wrapped in coats and crossed fingers, there’s something hopeful about seeing laundry outside after months of damp air and radiators.

9. Colours catch your eye more

A yellow daffodil. A green shoot. A bit of brightness on a grey day feels amplified — as if your senses are waking up too.

10. You start thinking ahead without rushing

Plans begin forming quietly. Not big declarations — just gentle ideas about what might come next.

11. Your energy lifts unevenly

Some days you feel lighter, more capable. Other days winter still weighs heavy. Both can coexist — and that’s normal.

12. Hope returns quietly

Not in fireworks. Not in fanfare. Just a steady sense that things won’t stay as they are forever.

Spring doesn’t demand that we hurry.
It simply asks us to notice.

And sometimes, noticing is enough.

Chat soon,

Ciara

A Gentle Spring Reading List for Seasonal, Intentional Living

Over the years, I’ve found that the books I reach for at this time of year reflect that same gentle shift. They’re not about reinvention or productivity or becoming someone new overnight. They’re about noticing, slowing, reconnecting, and living well within the season you’re actually in.

This is a curated collection of books and resources I return to again and again in spring — for inspiration, grounding, and a sense of rhythm as we move from winter into lighter days.

A gentle note on books & support
You’ll find links to some of these books below, shared for convenience if you’d like to explore them further. If you do choose to use them, they help support my work here in a small way, which I’m very grateful for. That said, please know there is absolutely no obligation — I’m a huge believer in local libraries, second-hand bookshops, borrowing from friends, and supporting independent bookstores whenever you can. However these books find their way into your hands, I hope they bring a little quiet, comfort, and seasonal inspiration into your days.

If you’d prefer to browse everything in one place, you’ll find my full Spring Reading List here → [View the full list on Amazon]

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you choose to make a purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These commissions help support my work here and allow me to continue creating free, thoughtful seasonal content.

🌱 Seasonal Living & Nature Connection

Spring is the season of re-attunement — noticing what’s changing outside and inside ourselves. These books help anchor that awareness in the natural world, folklore, and seasonal rhythm.

The Almanac – Lia Leendertz
A modern classic for seasonal living. This is a book to keep close by — filled with gentle guidance on nature, weather, folklore, and what’s unfolding outside your window throughout the year.

Slow Seasons – Rosie Steer
Rooted in Celtic seasonal traditions, this book invites you to reconnect with nature through creativity, ritual, and reflection. Especially beautiful for early spring, when everything feels quietly in motion.

Nature’s Calendar – Keira Chapman et al.
Dividing the year into 72 micro-seasons, this book encourages close observation and deep noticing — perfect for spring, when change happens in small, almost invisible ways.

Telling the Seasons – Martin Maudsley
A thoughtful exploration of folklore, tradition, and the rhythms that have shaped how we understand the year. Ideal for readers who love history woven gently into seasonal living.

Evergreen – Lydia Millen
A reflective guide to finding balance through the seasons, with a strong emphasis on nature connection and slower living. Calm, considered, and quietly grounding.

Ebb and Flow – Tiffany Francis-Baker
Explores how living in rhythm with nature can bring a sense of steadiness and meaning to everyday life, especially during times of transition.

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🌼 Slow Living Philosophy & Gentle Re-Orientation

Spring often brings a subtle pressure to “get going again.” These books offer an alternative — a slower, more intentional way to move forward.

In Praise of Slowness – Carl Honoré
A foundational slow-living read that challenges our obsession with speed and busyness. Still deeply relevant, especially as the year begins to gather pace.

Slow – Brooke McAlary
Practical, compassionate, and honest. This book explores what it really means to slow down in modern life, without opting out or escaping reality.

Seeking Slow – Melanie Barnes
A gentle guide to reclaiming moments of calm in everyday life. This is a book you dip into rather than rush through.

The Art of Frugal Hedonism – Annie Raser-Rowland
Joyful, practical, and grounded — this book celebrates simple pleasures and living well without excess. A perfect companion for springtime simplicity.

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🏡 Home, Ritual & Everyday Calm

As the season shifts, many of us feel the urge to tend to our homes — not through dramatic overhauls, but through small acts of care.

The Kinfolk Home – Nathan Williams
A beautifully curated exploration of homes that prioritise warmth, intention, and lived-in comfort over trends.

Still: The Slow Home – Natalie Walton
Focuses on creating calm, meaningful spaces that support everyday life. Ideal inspiration for gentle spring refreshing without pressure.

My Hygge Home – Meik Wiking
A comforting, accessible guide to creating warmth and ease at home, with plenty of ideas that translate beautifully into spring.

The Art of Danish Living – Meik Wiking
Explores balance, simplicity, and everyday contentment through Danish culture.

The Little Book of Hygge – Meik Wiking
A gentle introduction to comfort, atmosphere, and slowing down at home.

The Little Book of Lykke – Meik Wiking
Focuses on happiness, connection, and wellbeing — a natural spring mindset shift.

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🌸 Gentle Self-Care Through the Year

The Self-Care Year – Alison Davies
Encourages small, seasonal self-care practices that change with the year.

The Happiness Year – Tara Ward
A month-by-month approach to wellbeing, rooted in noticing and intention rather than fixing.

The Wheel of the Year – Fiona Cook & Jessica Roux
A visual and reflective guide to seasonal cycles, traditions, and nature-based living.

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📖 Fiction for Spring & New Beginnings

Spring is also a wonderful time to read stories that mirror renewal, imagination, and quiet transformation.

The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
A timeless spring novel about healing, growth, and the restorative power of nature.

Anne of Green Gables – L.M. Montgomery
Optimism, imagination, and a deep love of the natural world — a perfect spring reread.

The Enchanted April – Elizabeth von Arnim
Four women, an Italian castle, and a month that changes everything. Gentle, hopeful, and quietly transformative.

Garden Spells – Sarah Addison Allen
A touch of magical realism rooted in gardens, family, and belonging — ideal for spring evenings.

The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame
A comforting classic filled with riverbanks, friendship, and seasonal wandering.

Weyward – Emilia Hart
A powerful novel exploring women’s connection to nature across generations — darker in places, but deeply rooted in seasonal themes.

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✍️ Poetry & Reflective Essays

For moments when you want to pause, breathe, and notice.

Devotions – Mary Oliver
A beautifully curated collection of poems that celebrate attention, presence, and the natural world.

Savour – Alice Vincent
Essays on finding joy and meaning in small, everyday pleasures — very much aligned with slow, seasonal living.

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🌼 Optional Additional Seasonal Reads

The Music of Bees – Eileen Garvin
A feel-good novel about healing, beekeeping, and nature’s quiet power.

Wildwood Whispers – Willa Reece
A comforting story centred on gardens, friendship, and slow living.