I found the first bloom of spring in my backyard yesterday. Those of you in the upper Midwest know this has been a long and drawn out winter. But we had a delightfully warm & sunny day yesterday, allowing me to clear the marsh grass from the garden beds and do some general cleanup. It was a delight to find the tulip bulbs had emerged about an inch and half above the soil. That was reason to celebrate. But when I uncovered these beautiful little squill blooms I was delighted — our first glimpse of color since last fall. These are tiny flowers, only about two inches tall, so I didn’t see them at first. But for being so small they are certainly mighty; surviving the summer and bringing springtime joy and the promise of warmth and a renewed growing season!
florals
Bougainvillea red & white
My exhibit of photographs titled “Paths and Portals” ends today at the Hopkins Center for the Arts. Thanks to all the people who came to the receptions (the opening and the closing) and to those who left comments for me at the Center. This image “Bougainvillea red and white” was one of the more popular photographs. Perhaps the colors speak of warmth and summer, while we’re still battling winter’s grip here in Minnesota. This scene is from Tucson, Arizona and caught my eye with its contrasting colors as well as the details that were so artistically painted over the door.
Looking for spring
Winter still has its hold on us here in Minnesota. We vacillate from cool to cold, cool to warm, and all the variations in-between. We have snow, it thaws, it freezes, then thaws again, leaving us in the middle of “mud season” (as a good friend of mine calls it). So when I get tired of winter and need a jolt of spring I go to the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory in Como Park. The current Sunken Garden display is filled with cineraria, primrose, azalea, cyclamen, foxglove and lilies. It’s a welcome visual and aromatic jolt to the winter-weary senses, and gives us the reassurance that spring can’t be too far away… maybe only another flip of the calendar page, from March to April???
lindastaatsphoto.com 