Easter and April mean spring. Spring means warmth and colors. Except when Mother Nature decides to put a white icing over the landscape. I spent some time at the McNeely Conservatory yesterday morning photographing the spring flowers. Outside the weather was cold and windy and snowing, but the conservatory was the perfect antidote to the weather. I was surrounded by the smells of tulips and daffodils, hyacinths and magnolias. In the bonsai section I found this lovely azalea. Its diminutive structure seemed to mirror the snow-covered tree outside, while its brilliant colors were the opposite of the landscape beyond the window.
spring
Blooming bravely before spring
Soon the snow will melt, and soon it will be spring! We enjoyed a quick vacation to Salt Lake City the past few days. There were remnants of snow when we arrived, but the sun was warm and the temperatures climbed each day. Being from snow-bound Minnesota, I was thrilled to see these lovely spring crocus – fighting off the cold and the snow of winter, bravely blooming and reminding us that spring will conquer winter and we will be surrounded by color once again. Soon.
A burst of clematis blooms
All within a few days the clematis have burst forth. A delicate pale yellow bloom with a yellow center, this lemon chiffon clematis has climbed up the trellis and bloomed all at once. The cooler temperatures and bright sunshine of the past week coaxed the buds to open in profusion. Soon the other clematis will follow, but it will be hard to top the beauty and fullness of this one.
Lilac blooms
The lilac bushes has blossomed out, and their sweet smell lingers in the air. We’re fortunate to have both white and purple lilacs. Throughout the neighborhood there are lilac bushes and hedges, and some are over 10 feet tall. Their colors and delicateness are noticeable. After the heavy rain from a day ago, the alley was littered with white and purple petals scattered on the ground. As short-lived as their blooming season is, it makes me appreciate their beauty and their scent even more.
Blue sky, Blue lake day
The Minnesota fishing opener was this past Saturday, and unlike some previous years the weather was lovely. We headed north to our favorite fishing lake and found an abundance of blue – the sky, and its reflection in the water surrounded us with this beautiful color of spring. Uncharacteristically calm and warm, the boat created the only ripples in the water. It was wonderful to soak in the warmth and the beauty of the day, while we caught our limit of large Northern pike. Saturday became even more perfect as we also headed out on the lake Sunday morning, but this was a much different day. The sky was filled with high clouds, and there was a serious wind from the east. There was no still and calm, no quiet reflection in the water, but rather a heavy chop and even some whitecaps. Sunday merely helped us appreciate even more that blue sky, blue lake day from 24 hours earlier.
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