I love to walk in the evenings among the dandelions. I was told as a child that if you managed to blow away all the seeds in one try, you could wish for something. I still take up one of them once in a awhile and with some excitement blow at it. The wish? To see the beautiful seeds dancing in the air.
“… with silver bells and cockle shells, and all pretty maidens in a row. ” Not a silver bell but a Snow Bell, as it is called in Sweden. I love the green little spots that marks every leaf.
The tulips are in their prime. Every day new buds burst into bloom, following the beauty of the daffodils, whose flowers now are dried and their seeds are maturing.
The bees and ants have woken up. It is fascinating to see their dedication and their industrious work as their gather food for their queen and larvae. They have a common project, in their nature completely unselfish.
Inconspicuous colour, but if you humble yourself and smell it, you will be surprised by its strong fragrance, a mixture of lilies and honey.
The aspen has begun to bloom. Just a couple of days ago it still had only buds. Time flies.
Spring is truly here, the cranes have arrived, the starling in his shimmering plumage sings as he flaps his wings in excitement. He excels in imitating other birds. Often he sits on the ridge of the wood shed with a clear view of his nest and the lake. The day grows longer than the night now. Life is back. To run during sunset these days have been a true enjoyment.
As the flowers begin to bloom, the firs release their seeds. It is a beautiful mixture of sowing and blooming.
Before the trees become green the wind pollinated trees and bushes begin to bloom. I love the hazels with their golden catkins reflecting the afternoon sun.
The first flowers have begun to bloom. A walk in the garden becomes almost like an exploration in search for new signs of spring. The crocuses have started their colourful display. The Christmas rose keeps flowering, enjoying the mild weather and warm sun of March.
But with the crocuses flowering, it is time to sow indoors some of the vegetables that need a longer growing season than our nordic climate can offer. This year I have tried to sow onion indoors to see if this can yield a better harvest. The tomatoes are next on turn.
The sunsets have enlighten my evenings with different rosy nuances. And even in the nights signs of Spring are present. As I was out taking a walk with Toby, two whooper swans flew over us, their calling clear and beautiful even after they were gone behind the forest.
I am sitting in the living room with the Christmas tree on my right hand and a crackling fire in the tile stove on my left. Both the night and day have been stormy and the mild spring feeling turned into dry and cold winter weather, but with a clear light blue sky. A day like this one, my thoughts turn to the warm colours of autumn. There are two species that stand out, perhaps because of their soft lilac colour, October aster and the autumn crocus.
While the October aster is hardier with small flowers in abundance, the autumn crocus is more gentle and on the verge of surrealistic. You find it there in the bare soil of the flowerbed without any fragrance and without leaves to accompany the weak flowers, but with a colour that even the bright roses of summer would be proud of.
Flores Island · Azores
From Where I Stand...
Wandering on trails and places around the coast of Wales
Wonderer of Nature 