Splash into spring with these 31 radiant photos from the Nat Geo archives

There's a simple pleasure in pausing to enjoy stillness in nature—just you, your environment, and the sound of your own breath. Sometimes, you can physically feel the beauty of your surroundings: the breeze tickling your face or the sunlight warming your bones. As we start to defrost in the northern hemisphere, greenery is beginning to peek out. In celebration of spring's rebirth, I've chosen to celebrate nature—and all its greenery—as the theme for this month's photo selection.

My personal favorite picture from last month is an extra green photo by David Doubilet of a man in a canoe peering into the waters of Botswana's Okavango River.

Jennifer Hayes’ image of an American crocodile swimming through the waters of Cuba's Gardens of the Queen explodes with beautiful green jewel tones.

Eliza Scidmore’s photograph of young Japanese girls posing with cherry blossom branches evokes the joy of being in nature. The photo was taken some time before 1918 and Scidmore is considered to be Nat Geo's first female photographer.