They took their own sweet time to bloom….

We’ve been waiting since January when we first saw the spears of green poking their heads up through the ground. After a few weeks, the buds began to form. And they grew fatter and fatter, ready to burst into bloom any time. But it took days and days. I’ve noticed other blossoms on my morning walks, but my daffodils took their own sweet time to bloom. And yesterday, at last, they were there in all of their splendor.

Arrogant daffodils

Why do I say “arrogant”? Look at them! Ruffled collars with a huge, trumpet noses! They’re exploding with brilliant lemon yellow color! From the brown, clay-like soil, they push up and almost as if they take a sniff and say, “Yes, today is the day I will explode in color!”

The crocus

There are other flowers that capture my interest. I love the crocus too. They seem to pop up nearly anywhere through the crusty soil and bark dust.

The crocus!

A bit earlier this year, I enjoyed the fuzzy, soft, pussywillow.

Pussywillow

Earlier yet, the wild plum trees bloomed–now of course their blooms are spent and there are curly lime green leaves on the wild branches. But first, they were tiny soft pink blossoms.

Early blossoms

This morning, as I asked God to give me words today for someone, He reminded me of His spring creation. The flowers. Here’s one more burst of color for you. The primrose.

Purple, fuchsia, or yellow, the primroses are all beautiful.

A word from the poet…

I hope the photos, captured with my faithful iPhone, will bring a smile to your lips at least briefly. I remember being grateful every spring for the color gracing my yard and other’s too. I like what a Victorian era poet, novelist, playwright, and critic, Algernon Charles Swinburne, said about spring:

And time remembered is grief forgotten

And frosts are slain and flowers begotten,

And in green underwood and cover

Blossom by blossom the spring begins.

Spring will come…

For my friends who read this and live where there’s flooding–Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, and other states, please know you’re in my prayers. For those of you who feel as though you are still in the winter of your grief, you too, are in my prayers. For those who feel hopeless with ill health or unhappy surroundings, I hope my spring flowers bring a smile to you as it must seem like spring will never come. But it will. There will be lilacs, and rhododendrons, roses, and more.