Our weather has been gloomy with days of gray. Our landscape has been transitional; warmer temperatures this past week caused some snow to melt, leaving patches of brown grass and piles of dirty snow. But one place is an oasis of spring – the McNeely Conservatory at Como Park. With a walk into the Sunken Garden, one is surrounded visually by spring. Colors of pink and yellow, purple and blue – a wonderful sight to the eyes. With encouragement like this, winter can’t last too much longer and we’ll savor the sights of spring when they arrive.
spring
Green of spring
As quickly as winter left, spring has arrived. Minnesota spring-time is short and condensed. It’s almost as if you can watch the flowers come up through the thawed and warming ground. Our lilacs are bursting forth, the peonies grow inches overnight, and the greenest of ferns have started to unfurl. From a tight bud to the gentle arches, they are a study of delicateness and beauty. Soon the fronds will be straight and upright, but I love the soft curves that they now show.
Magnolia time again
Our spring has blossomed once again. Even amidst the cooler temperatures and late season, the magnolias have flourished and bloomed. Their bright white is a wonderful precursor to the later vibrant colors of the tulips and annuals that will follow. Although they bloom for such a short period of time, they seem to be the early messenger announcing the change of seasons.
Easter and spring-time
Today is Easter — a celebration of hope, spring, and renewal. So many things come to mind when I think of Easter, but one that brings a smile to my face are Peeps. With their sugar-coating, the beady eyes and pointed beaks, these purple peeps remind me of the child-like wonder that made Easter so special when we were young. My Easter and spring wish for you is a renewal of that hope and wonder we all search for at this time of year.
Store-bought spring
Spring has been hard-to-come-by in Minnesota. Although we’ve had some warmer temperatures they seem to be interrupted with cold fronts and more snow. Desperate for spring, I decided that even store-bought color would count. Yellow and green are the colors that represent the hope and promise of spring, and these lovely yellow tulips were calling to me at the store. With some sunshine and temps in the 40’s, I took my spring bouquet outside to photograph. A little bit of filtered sunshine seemed to bring them to life. What you don’t see in this image is the white snow that still covers the ground in places. But I can look at this image and focus on the promise of spring to come.
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