First Signs of Spring

I have been so busy working inside on a multitude of projects that my outside time has been very limited. (I am sure my regular readers can tell by my lack of blog posts over the past months.)

Today, I made the extra effort to set aside my inside tasks so that I could take the dogs for a short walk. They love their walks and I need the exercise.

 

The weather was warm and delightful.  I could feel spring in the air.  Within my first two steps, Buddy was already scarce running through the woods.  Jake, as the norm, kept his slow, old-bones pace behind me. Buddy returned with two sticks in his mouth wanting to play fetch.  I am not very good at throwing, but a short fetch is better than no fetch in Buddy’s opinion.

 

On our return to the house, I took a quick walkabout the gardens.  Boy, do I have a lot of clean-up to do before the growing season is upon us.  And, it will, no doubt, arrive fast and frantic.

 

The very first signs of spring-around-the-corner in my flower beds are a bunch of daffodils that bloom just beyond my kitchen window.  It is a wonderful place because I can enjoy them frequently as I always seem to be washing dishes.

 

The second is a small cluster of snowdrops.  I did not plant the snowdrops, but they are growing in a fairly new bed (approx. 10 years old) to the garden.  One early spring day I just noticed the delicate white flowers and I have been on the lookout with excitement every year since.  In fact, it was several years after seeing that first snowdrop that I realized that the snowdrops had the brilliant green centers.  I had read about that interesting little fact in one of my Gladys Taber’s books.  So now, I make a point of getting down on hands and knees to make sure I enjoy those green gems hiding under the pure white petals.

 

 

Suddenly, I heard a large rumble in the near distance.  The sunny and blue sky became dark very rapidly.  Within moments of stepping inside the house, the clouds unleashed a terrific downpour complete with forceful winds. 

 I am grateful that Jake and I are taking short walks.   

 

The sun returned just as quickly as it had left. 

 

 

the sun returned,  drops of rain continued dripping from the branches

a puddle in my lawn where there usually is no puddle
because the rain fell so fast 

 

 

Spring shower?  I wish...snow is forecast for tomorrow and Monday - ugh!