Archive for April, 2011

This month I am remembering how much I love spring.   I’ve already talked about this most amazing season early this month, and I feel the need to do it again.  Each day this April, I have been in awe of the layers and tones and lushness of greens in the trees.   This is not something new; it happens every year.  Spring and fall are my favorites.  It always amazes me how our evergreen trees come alive next to deciduous trees that bud and fill out with each passing day.  I decided to really capture the wonder, so here are some blooming tree pics.  All the various shades magically bring out the other tones in our landscape.

The trees of green can been seen with the eyes, smelled through the nose, and heard too.   Here is a fabulous poem written by a poet who pushed punctuation to a new creative level – you may have hear of him…

i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun’s birthday;this is the birth
day of life and love and wings:and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any–lifted from the no
of all nothing–human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

     – e.e. cummings

The leafing greenly sway of the willow

Today’s blog is all about my favorites. When it’s spring, you must talk about (or sing) about your favorite things.  My three favorites about spring are the season itself, fresh new blooms and bloosoms and the sweet return of wildlife.

Spring, ah the true beginning of spring.  I love beginnings, and I love spring.  There is nothing like it.  Spring and Fall are my favorite two seasons.  I cannot say which one is number one and number two; I could never decide.  Yesterday was a perfect example of THE perfect Seattle spring day – a cloudy morning and crisp breeze, sunny afternoon, a punch of thunder and hail when the dinner bell rang across the city.   Since I could not get out for a walk mid-day, it was hopeless.  The sun would quickly change to wind and rain, and sure enough, I was right.  Spring weather is insane, a constant season of change.  

Beyond loving the season itself, I love the greens of spring. I love the joy of surprise as I see {daily} blooms and blossoms coming on. Whether on a evening walk or sitting at a light, I see SO many wonderful flowers, trees and shrubs budding. Cherry bloosoms, hydrangea buds, daffodils galore, the new greens on a willow tree, primroses.  Even creeping jenny {Money Wort} is starting it’s annual creep. There are so many shades of fresh new greens each spring, I nearly burst with excitment. What’s next???   Everyday, a new discovery!

I also very much love the return of wildlife to the parks and marinas and small places in our world here in the Pacific Northwest.  I regularly walk through Luther Burbank Park on Mercer Island.  This time of year, the frogs return and a family of ducks bring their babies to hunt for bugs and other nibbles they dig out of the earth.  To hear the frog’s ribbit and see the ducks makes my heart go pitter-patter.  The best sign of spring indeed! 

As a final note… I noticed there is a beautiful new book available.  “Wildlife of Juanita Bay” by Aaron Baggenstos shows stunning photography of local fowl.  Here is the link to his site, if you’d like to take a peak: http://www.aaronbaggenstos.com.  Enjoy your spring! Get out there. Walk, smell, see, and take it all in. We have much to be thankful for…