Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Growing

New life. There's always a bit of the miraculous about it, whether it be human, plant, or animal. For the nature-lover who lives in a land that is winter-bound several months each year, few things are more exciting than the first tiny outbursts of spring growth.

Some look like exotic green flowers:


Or miniature totems bearing pom-poms:


Or wee heads of lettuce dotted along a twig:


Some are upstanding, airy and delicate:


And some, sturdy and outthrust like this oak-bud cluster, scion of a gnarled tree:


Some are fanciful, with dancing dangles:


And some are simple, pure and sweet:


Some look like tiny beads, whether against the sky...


...or in the palm of a hand:


Some are fuzzy and fresh-green:


And some are positively bridal in their beauty:



Even last year's dried wild cucumber vines look good with a thoughtful bird perched atop:


("When are these things going to turn green?" he wonders.)

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Of course, for some of us, all this rising sap and burgeoning growth means lots of sneezing and watery eyes. But I think it's worth it.

What's your favourite part of spring?

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22 comments:

  1. I love all your spring buds and new leaves, especially the one with brown-red dangles and the mini totem pole with pom-poms! My favourite parts of spring are: early morning birdsong, especially the blackbird near my bedroom window, getting longer days and all the gorgeous blossom against a clear-blue sky!
    Enjoy every moment of nature waking up!

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  2. What a lovely post! It is so nice to see everything starting to come to life again.
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  3. What gorgeous photos, how lovely to see all the different buds. For me, the best part of spring is the blossom and that fresh new green, and getting outside more and more. Here the children have their shorts out and I'm sneezing a little. The season has well and truly changed. CJ xx

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  4. Nature is a miracle and we are so fortunate to share her beauty.
    The photos are fantastic. Did you get a bit of snow, we have some in the forecast today!
    Susan x

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  5. Spring in Wisconsin is so wonderful, the land is waking up after a long cold Winter. How fun to see it.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  6. Green - wonderful, isn't it. I am so enjoying seeing all around come back to life. Juliex

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  7. I think that I could stare at these images all day long. Such variety and such beauty. I love your descriptive words here. Just a minute ago I was standing by the open door, listening to the robins singing. So far it promises to be a lovely day...cool enough to start up the wood burner, but sunny enough to make my heart sing.
    Have a lovely day, Sue..and thanks.
    xoxo, E.

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  8. What a delightful post. I recognise some of your leaf buds but the dangly ones I don't know at all, those are very pretty.

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  9. Beautiful photos.

    My favorite part of spring is the jacaranda trees ---- a big burst of purple makes me happy.

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  10. My favorite part of spring: Thunderstorms.
    oh and planting again,
    oh and kittens,
    and oh opening up the windows.

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  11. Nice shots! We've had more snow and cold over the last week or so. Nonetheless, new growth was robust and weathered the white weather quite well.

    For me, the best thing about spring is longer daylight hours.

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  12. This was a gorgeous post, Sue! I dearly love baby leaves, and you have captured them in such variety and beauty. My favorite part of spring ~ oh that's hard! I love the scent of blossoms on warm fresh air, the sound of male redwing blackbirds chucking and thrilling, the change in light from silvery to more golden hues, daffodils dancing in the breezes, pussy willows (which I haven't found here) ~ oh so many things! Happy spring, to you and yours!

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  13. Wonderful photos. Thank you, thank you for giving me a smile in my heart.

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  14. Ditto... such gorgeous shots AND descriptions! You know, that last photo looks as if the foliage has transformed the bird into a peacock...

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  15. My favourite part of Spring is the warmer weather, watching all the miraculous new growth and saying hello to all my spring plants that have been fast asleep over winter. Your pictures are beautiful. :) xx

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  16. Wow, you really captured some amazing buds! Good job! You have quite the fascinating growing things in your area! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  17. One thing I know for sure...you have not lost your photographic prowess! Breathtaking photos Sue!

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  18. Beautiful photos to prompt a renewed appreciation of spring. I'll be looking at things a little more closely now.

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  19. These pictures are great. What a beautiful world we live in. One of the reasons I love looking at blogs is the way it makes me pause in wonder--both when I'm looking at these kind of photos, and then again when I am submerged in my hectic life.

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  20. The green, the sun and the birdsong. Digging the earth, being in my garden. It's all so uplifting I couldn't choose a single element of it above the rest.

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  21. Beautiful, soon to be verdant world.

    I love the chill at the start and end of a warm spring day best ... crazy I know, but I do.

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  22. I'm always amazed how green everything looks after a rainy day in spring. Like today. It's breathtaking. :-) Enjoy spring! Regula

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