Friday, April 04, 2008

Woodland stirrings...

I made it back this week to the woods and the little brook to see the beginnings of Spring emerging...
There were just a few Spring Beauties blooming, hidden among the more vigorous periwinkle. The miracle here is in the beginning... the budding that is happening everywhere in the woods. The willows are impatient, as are the swamp maples with their reddish haze; both reaching from their winter nakedness to the early sunlight for encouragement.

Flecks of gold from an early trout lily nestled in the fallen leaves of winter. Here is beauty perfected... ephemeral yet timeless in its allure. No sooner will they bloom and they'll begin to fade, a part of the process and wonder of the season.

Squill was the flower of the moment this day and the early bees were paying attention to its carpet of offerings, however slight their nectar. My father always claimed Spring as his favorite season and as much as I love the Fall, I'm seeing now how we need Spring, or our hearts need the Spring and the chance to participate with time and sunshine; to be a part of that partnership.

The photographer's assistant was most interested in partnering with the forest faeries to cast shade where it wasn't wanted, or to set his rear on the prettiest patches of Squill to compete with their handsomeness, or to sample the edibility of fresh Skunk Cabbage leaves... ("Ick", says Luka.)

Spring. Have you tasted it yet?

;-)

13 comments:

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

"I'm seeing now how we need Spring, or our hearts need the Spring and the chance to participate with time and sunshine; to be a part of that partnership."

You speak to me Laura.

Cathy said...

Laura, my poet friend . . .

You marked a perfect cadence here.

Each step forward on softening ground you made our heart's quicken.

Then with a flourish you plop us squealing with delight in a patch of squill while Luka's eyes say C'mon! Mom!

Spring's a'wastin'!

Anonymous said...

Well, I have tasted a bit of spring but not the skunk cabbage, I must say. I'll go with Luka's considered opinion on that. If a lab says something is icky -- it must be truly revolting!

I love your visits to the woods in the spring. thanks for sharing!

Pam in Tucson said...

Poetry! so beautiful.

Anonymous said...

This is wonderful and I appreciate you sharing this with us!

Anonymous said...

Such lovely flowers, and such a handsome dog! I haven't fully tasted spring yet... just a few appetizers so far. your weather seems to be quite a bit further along than ours...

RG said...

I hear the voices and words, but no taste yet ..just COLD and WET!

Ruth said...

One more month...! I saw some pussy willows today so the flowers will be coming along soon here.

Susan Gets Native said...

Why is southwest Ohio so far behind? Or maybe it's just my yard. Nothing is doing much of anything yet.


BTW, Laura, I exposed your dirty secret on my post tonight.

: )

LauraHinNJ said...

Lynne: I know you're needing it... hugs to you.

Cathy: lol! As much as I enjoy his company in the woods, he makes concentrating on anything a challenge.

Liza: Ha! I don't think he liked it much, but he kept munching anyway... mostly just to keep me laughing at him I think.

Pam: Hi and thanks.

Monarch: Thanks... someday I'll find coltsfoot. Why I have such trouble finding those easy ones I don't know.

Jennifer: It still feels like winter most days, but the change is coming a little at a time!

Rabbit's Guy: Yeah.. too bad. Be patient tho!

Ruth: Oh! Pussy willows... there's one of them on my way to work. I always mean to take a pic... maybe next spring.

Susan: No forsythia even? I was surprised last weekend with how winter like PA still looked. Weird. But then it was snowing a bit on my drive out there.

R.Powers said...

Whoa! I need to visit here more often. Luka has grown into a gorgeous dog!

LauraHinNJ said...

Thanks FC! He's handsome and full of energy!

dguzman said...

We're definitely behind in PA, too. I need to go driving this weekend, up near a creek I know, to see if the flowers are coming up yet.