Softly closing the front door behind me, I am met with the warm sun on my face, a welcome old friend, dearly missed. I feel a swell of excitement as I know what this means – Spring is close by. I am transported forward in time when jackets will be left on hangers and pushed to the back of wardrobes in favour of sunglasses and sandals. When wools and waterproofs are replaced with sweeping cottons and linens as we all willingly endure the close heat of the happiest of seasons. A deep breath brings me back to the here and now, the slow and steady beginning of the joy of spring and summer, awakening slowly and yawning upon the dawn I find myself in.
As my shoes sink into the dewy grass of early morning, sunlight reflects off the droplets, the ground a sea of tiny diamonds. A sweep across the landscape of my early morning walk shows me that an abundance of green has begun. Plant stems are bursting through the earthy brown of soil and old leaves and tiny green buds are spotted on otherwise winter-worn trees. I slow to discover the shocking white of snowbells hidden deep in the shrubbery, the first flower that always reminds me of this beautiful renewal. The winter has been a long hard one, but it makes the early signs of the coming spring all the more joyous and rejuvenating.
As I take steps deeper into the nearby woodland, birdsong fills the air and, turning a corner, a shock of yellow makes my smile deepen – the first daffodils of the year have sprung up. What once were empty patches of grassy land are now overrun with deep yellows and greens. I move closer to greet their sunny faces and touch their delicate waxy petals. While admiring them, however, I feel wistful, aware that their bloom is not a long one. Soon they will fade and shrink back, allowing other plants forward to have their time in the sun.
Spring always seems to start slowly but then, in a flash, blooms come and go, and summer takes deeper root. Perhaps this is why spring is my favourite season, the briefness of an awakening that I feel compelled to witness, however short it may be.
Charlotte this is so lovely! What an evocative piece. Thank you.