Inching Our Way Back to Spring

Sights like these are things I live for - signs of winter being kicked back over to the other side of the world. Finally.

The other day whilst out taxiing children to class I looked up and actually saw a tree with the beginnings of cherry blossom .. cherry blossom!! ... and my heart actually skipped a beat. Spring?! Already? Oh, yes please! I felt like running through the streets like Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music declaring to people that spring, at last- it is almost here! Doe a deer! A FEMALE deer! (I didn't, of course, because in our hood running through streets only happens when followed by crazed gangs or police, and English isn't even a third language here. And crazy, white English speaking people singing 'Doe a Deer' is more like to end up with hospitalisation rather than accompanying a Capella vocalisations that I had envisaged in my head - and what little English does get spoken here belongs more on a NWA album than Julie Andrews... jus' sayin').

I could hardly believe that by keeping my head down and ploughing on through life and work that I had managed to forge through a whole season and come out the other side. It certainly put a spring in my step - no pun intended - and I could feel a heavy load lifting. Garden, allotment, flowers, fresh air, washing on washing lines (me so rock n roll) - all of these things and more are so tantalisingly close. Finally.

Inching our way back to spring.

April Scenes

It's APRIL, people. And as much as I love a bit of cozy, some lamplight and family get togethers under handknit blankets as much as the next gal, I was kinda hoping these scenes would have been a distant memory by now, ya know??

Official :: It's Spring

Yes, I know it's February. I know that spring is not official until way after the equinox. But I don't care. We have daffodils and crocus already popping up in the garden; the sunlight is stronger each day; buds are almost squeaking on the trees (almost) and in the principality of Deb-dom that is my home I have declared it to be spring. At last.

And just in case no one believes me? I'm drowning them in pollen to induce a coma.

Home Bound

They promise us sun, soon. They admit this year has been a wash-out so far. My youngest still thinks it is winter and is astonished to find we are on the cusp of summer - summer. The fact that he doesn't believe speaks volumes.

I am tentatively packing the beach bag. I am hopefully finding the sun cream. I am sincerely making little prayers when I write the shopping list that salad is a good choice rather than leeks and potatoes (oh my).

I am ill. I spent all Sunday asleep. I am drained and tired and dizzy.

But the prospect of lying in the sun, on a blanket at the beach, or farm, or park? Well, I think I could drag my battered body behind the rest of the gang for that....

I am crossing my fingers for summer.

Chasing the Sun

We hit the ground running when the sun comes out. We make the most of every drop. We chase the light, the heat and soak it in. Because we know it won't last long. We are told bad weather will return. Rain, for sure. Snow? Well, yeah it might be on the cards...

So this is how we do it.... in small bursts whenever it comes, we soak it up.



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Bluebells and Bugs

This time last year it was hot. Spring-like, even. We would see the sun, and rain was a rare occurence. This time last year we bluebell watched with sunhats.

Without exageration I think it has been four whole weeks since we had one day of sun. We catch it in patches. It lasts hours if we are lucky, and although we need the rain, desperately so, I still don't seem to have anymore gratitude left for it anymore. It's time Someone called off the dogs, ya know??

As such, bluebell watching this year was an altogether different experience than years gone by. We were wrapped up warmly. We saw no butterflies. We didn't see one thing basking... instead it was perfect bug finding weather. And bugs we did find... we watched in awe the amount of snails that have made their way up the tree trunks into the canopy to escape the water. I swear I heard the sound of a little saw as a snail ark was being made...

We found the lone white bluebell. We found bugs that we didn't have a name for. We found primroses. We heard the first cuckoo of the year, yes we did. And we knew it was spring.

We knew, but didn't feel, it was spring.



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