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Saturday, April 30, 2011

How Lucky

Spring, which seemed to have been playing hooky this year, is apparently guilty of nothing more than extreme tardiness. To give you an example of what I am talking about, last Friday (April 22), looked like this:


In 2010, it was almost three weeks earlier when I took this:


But yesterday, the sun came out at the same time I was required to drive 40 minutes down the coast “on assignment.” As I meandered down the two lane highway, I rolled down my windows and drank in a blast of warmth that inspired the stalled forsythia, the early rhododendrons and the Bradford Pear blossoms to vault from their buds. Chatting up seaside restaurant owners for an article, the back of my neck burned under a first exposure to sun.  As I write this, the resulting prickle brings a smile to my soul.

We wait for spring, long and hard here in New England. Sometimes winter seems like it will never tuck itself away. We slog through arthritic damp and mind numbing cold long after we expected to have packed wool clothes away. Finally though, when we begin to think it never will, spring appears. This year, it came yesterday, and it looked like this.






17 comments:

Jennifer Shirk said...

Gorgeous pics!

We always have a late spring too being so close to the water. But yesterday I smelled the grass and flowers and the temp was so mild. It was great!

Talei said...

How tranquil is that first setting? Lovely pics! We're enjoying a very warm spring here, and perfect for that little Royal wedding yesterday. ;-)

Hope you're having a lovely weekend!

Anonymous said...

Spring is here in Virginia. But I remember New England springs; I lived in Connecticut for three years some time ago. I remember how gorgeous it was--yes, your photos remind me--when spring did arrive. I LOVE New England.
Ann Best, Memoir Author

Jan Morrison said...

Oh dear...I'm with you. We don't get spring here in Nova Scotia - we get Spinter. Or Water in all its Manifestations. Argghh. But we have the bestest fall so...
Great pics and your writing, as always, is lovely.

Bish Denham said...

Lovely. We are long past spring and heading towards a collision course with summer. And it's dry, dry, dry. We've already had days as high as 98 degrees, not to mention the fact that wildfires rage across the state of Texas. One of them is a mere 40 or so miles away. And the town is ready to be evacuated if so ordered. We need rain.

Empty Nester said...

Down here it's winter that I think is never going to arrive. And, when it does, I spend that month dreading the fact that it will leave so soon. However, I'll keep it because your cold up there is way too cold for me! Glad spring showed up! Your pictures are lovely! Enjoy the warmth-

Ann said...

Oh how beautiful We are still waiting here. Hopefully this week. Your photos have brightened my morning.

VR Barkowski said...

Absolutely beautiful. Spring may have arrived late, but she certainly dressed well for the occasion! I think we have spring here in Atlanta, but my allergies are so severe, everything's a little blurry, and I'm not altogether certain. :)

AnPhibian said...

You've captured, beautifully, what it feels like to wait for spring in New England. Those first flowering trees are such a gift, and I've been (crankily) waiting and waiting and waiting! Yesterday: Sun, birds, flowers, students playing frisbee on the quad. All is right with the world again.

Robyn Campbell said...

Lovely Liza. As I scrolled through all your beautiful photos, I noticed one very important thing. You've described my feelings at this time of year to a tee. Thanks for sharing. (((hugs)))

Sharon said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sharon said...

Lovely photos, Liza. Spring always makes up for being late by being even more beautiful than remembered. Thank you.

'Yellow Rose' Jasmine said...

How nice, Liza! Here in the Northwest, seasons typically sort of meld into one another and we have much more Spring and Fall, not so much Winter and Summer. However, this year is so wet and cold it feels as if the little bits of sun we have had are somehow deceptive and I don't trust it yet... We finally do have some tulips (late) and other flowers, but our rhododendrons won't start blooming until mid May, if they are even on time.

Sue said...

Liza, the flowers are glorious, so bright and cheerful. We're heading into winter, nothing as severe as yours, but chilly and gloomy at times. I'm thinking of you enjoying the sun on your neck, and how much you must appreciate it after such a long winter! Thankyou for dropping by to congratulate me - now I can return to my haphazard postings, and random mutterings in a happily vague way. Sue

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Glad you're finally enjoying your spring. Ours struck a month ago, although the humidity has held off... for now!

Anonymous said...

Spring's teasing us 'round these parts. Couple 75 degree days, then right back down to the 60s. Not that I'm complaining. :)

Glad it's finally sprung for you, good lady!

Wine and Words said...

Pretty Pretty Pretty! All this cool weather is hell on our vegetable crops. Nothing wants to grow in the cold except the lettuce...the heads of which are as round as bicycle tires! Imagine!