#1 THERE WERE NO CROCUSES THERE--It is finally spring.I think I can almost feel it in the air. Last week it was warm enough and I decided to go out for the first time this year for a "spring walk." This in Victoria means searching out your favourite hidden haunts to view snowdrops and crocuses. I walked my usual paths looking for snowdrops - and yes -I found a few.I also noted a few buds on a Camellia tree but nothing else. It was a disappointing walk. The hardest part was searching for my favourite patch of crocuses by St Mary's Church. Two years ago I had written a blogg about it. The crocuses were hidden in a high mossy bank next to the church kindergarten and they always bloomed there by the crumbling stone bank. This time however I could not find them. I walked right into a construction site.Gone was the old unpainted kindergarten school. Gone was the neglected homey garden full of swings and children's toys. Instead there was a huge digger making holes and piles of lumbar and debris scattered about.Worst of all the mossy bank and crumbling stone wall was gone. I did finally find two tiny fragile ones trembling in the cold unwelcome rubble. I mourned their fate and touched the petals of the most fragile one -they felt like gossamer butterfly wings.these will be their last bloom. I walked home depressed.
#2 SPRING AT LAST-Two days ago on my way to my exercise class, I drove down Granite street and saw to my extreme pleasure the hesitant openings of the tree blossoms along the street. My heart leaped. At last the back of ole Mr. Winter was broken! His hold on us was broken!.True -he could challenge us with surprises but the evidence of the blooming trees is too powerful. There is no turning back Ms Spring -she is too powerful. He can do no lasting harm.
#3 The ULTIMATE EVIDENCE THAT SPRING IS HERE.Yesterday while walking down Oak Bay to do my shopping I saw the ultimate proof. Ahead of me a young vibrant young woman was walking happily in the smallest short shorts I have yet seen -and then I saw another girl further along wearing similar ones. Proof at last!! and what a joy to see ! and what enjoyment for all the staid men loitering along the street on their way to Starbucks for their daily morning coffee. For me there was a rush of memory of when I was a young woman and the lovely sensation of the feeling of spring air caressing my limbs in short shorts after a long drab winter. What fun Spring is.
#4 The final PROOF- When I came home I saw that my brave daffodils were fluttering in the spring wind and my apple tree was starting to bud. I went straight out and bought some periwinkles and planted them. So my dear readers-break out the bubbly and toast the delayed and welcome spring! and count our blessings that Nature in spite of our many shortcomings and bad treatment of her has not forgotten us after all.
