Spring auras

Crossing the frozen tundra

When the groundhog casts his shadow
And the small birds sing
And the pussywillows happen
And the sun shines warm
And when the peepers peep
Then it is Spring

~ Margaret Wise Brown

You would never know it from the feel and look of the place, but spring is out there.  The earth is quickening, the plants are stirring, and the wildlife seems to have sensed that change is coming.

Spring aura in the trees

You can see the transition in the trees, in the colorful auras that surround the branches, especially when the sun peeks out from behind the clouds.  You have to be quick to catch it.  The sun has been hiding from us lately, but every now and then the clouds will leave a small opening and the sun will shine out for a few seconds (or minutes, if we’re lucky).

Spring emanations

Every year I marvel at these subtle hints of the colors to come.

The suggestion of spring

When you paint Spring, do not paint willows, plums, peaches, or apricots, but just paint Spring.  To paint willows, plums, peaches, or apricots is to paint willows, plums, peaches, or apricots, it is not yet painting Spring.

~ Dogen

Even the geese are getting into step with spring

I have not yet seen or heard the Red-Winged Blackbirds or the Spring Peepers.  Soon, maybe.

Another crocus rises from the earth

Spring — what a rush it’s in.  Every place seems to be urging it to come.  If it delays its arrival a bit, the sunlight fades and the earth turns to stone.  Trees especially can’t endure any delay.  Let the spring dally even briefly on the way, and many lives are lost.

~ Xiao Hong

That’s the worry with spring.  The flowers come up, the trees bud and leaf and flower, and then we get hit with a blast of winter that damages and kills.  It’s still early so we don’t have to be concerned about such things yet even if there are signs of spring.

The sun graces the hollies with light

Today, though… today does not feel or look like spring is anywhere in the vicinity.  Light snow flurries are falling from the sky.  The surface of the pond is frozen.

Sometimes the sunlight breaks through the clouds

Keep your faith in beautiful things;
in the sun when it is hidden,
in the Spring when it is gone.

~ Roy R. Gibson

It is still winter on the pond

That’s about it from the Bogs for this chilly Sunday.  It’s not a bad day for a walk if you’re dressed properly for it.  Layers, boots, hat, and gloves.  The usual.  Every now and then the sun will come out and warm you up a little, and you’ll think you’re over-dressed.  The cloud cover is heavy most of the time, though, and the wind can be brisk, so you’ll appreciate the layers and other accoutrements.

There’s a warm light back in the woods

Thank you for visiting.  Have a delightful day, evening, night… wherever and whenever you are on the spectrum of time.  🙂

Mother Nature creates her own impressionist paintings

Go to the winter woods:  listen there, look, watch, and ‘the dead months’ will give you a subtler secret than any you have yet found in the forest.

~ Fiona Macleod, Where the Forest Murmurs

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