You might miss the hawthorn leaves that are starting to unfold in the sun…….
Crataegus monogyna ~ Hawthorn
Or you might not see the skeletal remains of last year’s foliage that managed to hang on through the harsh storm winds that ravaged the land…
If you don’t explore the hedgerows this week you might miss the catkins on the hazel trees as they sway in the soft breeze…
Corylus avellana ~ Hazel
Or you might not spot the way the light catches them in the late evening sun…
If you don’t take a few minutes to step outside the door and take a few minutes of peace for yourself, you’ll miss the sound of the birds and insects as they look for mates and food and nest and play….
Salix ~ pussy willow
and if you don’t slow down you might not notice the way the pussy willow sparkles as as it catches the light.
If you don’t take a few minutes out of your busy life and head outside you might not feel the sunshine on your face as you momentarily stop, close your eyes, tilt your head and accept the warmth as it caresses your skin.
“Yesterday the twig was brown and bare;
To-day the glint of green is there;
Tomorrow will be leaflets spare;
I know no thing so wondrous fair,
No miracle so strangely rare.
I wonder what will next be there!”L.H. Bailey
Will you take a few minutes during these dry, spring days to spend a little time practising mindfulness, bringing some calm and simplicity into your life? There’s a reason the word renewal is associated with spring, but you may have to head outside to find it…
10 Comments
Love the images Dee. I love going for walks and try to do one everyday. Lets just hope this fog lifts for the weekend so we can see everything.
Thanks Amanda and you have a point there! We were lucky to be above it all yesterday and enjoyed the blue skies. It was a bit of a shock to head down to the village later and find they’d been in the fog all day. Fingers crossed for some bright sunshine and good to hear you get out every day.
The catkins have been looking pretty in the light this week! I love all these macro photos Dee, a macro lens suits nature photography so well.
Thanks Eadaoin, that’s a lovely, comment to read from such a talented photographer such as yourself. I must admit the macro lens is a joy to use and the more I take it outside, the longer I want to spend out there. I’ve found that photography makes me look at things differently, makes me want to get up close and ‘see’ how plants look or grow. Looking forward to seeing more of your outdoor pics this year 🙂
This seems to be a bumper year from the Hazel catkins, the trees around us are laden, the Bull Finches have now put in an appearance feasting on the Hawthorne buds.
Anne I don’t think I’ve noticed them quite so much in previous years as this, or maybe I just didn’t go outside and I missed them, or maybe i just wasn’t looking! You’re so lucky to have beautiful bull finches around you, they’re quite elusive here though we do see lots of other finches, enjoy your springtime and thanks for dropping by 🙂
Beautiful images of spring Dee. It is always a very special time to see the first buds and the daffodils showing their lovely heads. Feels a bit strange for me this year to be missing it the other side of the world, where we are getting ready for autumn and the leaves are begining to turn from green to golden.
Hi Marie, lovely to hear from you 🙂 How mad that I’d go completely forgotten the southern hemisphere would of course be experiencing the opposite! It was lovely to see that reminder – do you even have daffodils there? I’m following a couple of Australian instagrammers and the flowers they post are quite spectacular.
Lovely photos Dee and v poetic. I love seeing the catkins too – for me that means spring has arrived. The UK had temps of 20 today apparently but rain is due later in the week. FArmers everywhere trying to get slurry and fertiliser out and hoping for more fine weather for a bit longer.
Thanks Lorna. It was 16oC yesterday in Carlow and yes, had noticed that finally managed to hang some washing out only to be greeted with the slurry tank trundling it’s way along behind the tractor over the hedge! Good to see farmers are finally getting outside though after weeks of rain.