Kathleen's Korner at TheStidhams.com

I firt put this on the blogspot page.

A lovely pink tulip by the front steps this morning. The red-flowering current is blooming in the front yard. The lilacs have fat anticipatory buds swelling at the tips of all the branches. The daffodils (some of them at least) have buds with a bit of color beginning to show.

And birds everywhere. And frogs singing at night, despite the cold temps this last week.

And this morning, blue skies (between the clouds) and sunshine.

Spring!

It’s here — almost. It’s coming!

The bulbs are past pushing up — the buds are beginning to burst open! Pink tulips by the front steps are soon to be joined by dozens of gorgeous narcissus… daffodils for us U.S. types.

And the branches of the plum that I pruned a couple days ago and put into vases burst into flower this morning! I love the pretty little white blooms, but it is the subtle, intoxicating scent that draws me in. Tomorrow, I will add some pictures to this blog so you can see them. For now, just imagine…

Delicate, five-petaled, crepe-paper blooms about a half-inch across, dancing along the reddish-brown, smooth branches. the bright yellow stamens punctuate their statements with notes of joy. The branches bend and twist, catching the light from the windows in the morning, from the lamps at night. Soon, the tree outside will be a cloud of white… perched momentarily in the orchard, then off to join the clouds in the sky again, leaving future plums clinging to the limbs of the trees.

Heaven!

And for a quick update on the comings and goings of the family, remember to check out my other blog stidmama.blogspot.com…

Already we can feel things changing.

The petals (or are they the sepals?) on the witch hazel are longer and brighter than they were when they first appeared a few weeks ago. The birds are singing different songs — already establishing pecking order and territory? And plants are budding out everywhere.

Here is the witchhazel again… in all its glory!

And one more sign, the real clincher:  a pair of robins are happily scouting the yard, lifting leaves for bugs and singing!

But remember, it’s still two months to the equinox…