Forcing Spring

It's definitely time to shed my winter frame of mind in favor of longer daytime hours, and eventually, warmer snow-less days.  A much needed break visiting the birthday girl this weekend was uneventful weather-wise, and the greening scenery with cloudless blue skies on my journey served to both increase my desire for warm weather and soothe my tired winter soul.
Kate and I broke out the cleaning supplies and put our heads together to redo her dark and wintry bedroom. By the time I left, brights of purple, pink, and teal floral-bedecked paisley swirls covered her bed. Purple silk dogwood and spring greenery popped against a newly painted white wall, nearly screaming "SPRING!" Yellow blooms, like miniature suns graced her dining area.  Beach accents were also turned up a notch in the bathroom, with a sign announcing that "The sea calms the soul".  Amen to that, and countdown to Mother's Day at the BEACH!
Visiting the Presbyterian church in her town, we were treated to a sermon expressing the effect of nature on the human condition.  Solitude in nature does not promote feelings of lonliness, but of wholeness. There's a reason eggs (new life), bunnies (always reproducing), and Easter grass fill baskets at this time of year. There is a promise made and delivered to us each spring that life indeed goes on, despite the harshness of nature during winter or after globally felt storms, as have been felt world wide this winter season. (Summer down under in Australia.) 
The promise of spring....this year... still remains a promise. The calendar announced the new season, but Mother Nature seemed to miss the memo. So for now, I will continue to THINK spring, to spring clean, and force blooms that keep that promise alive in my heart.

Forsythia is always the first bush in my yard to erupt with blossoms, about the same time the daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths pop through the frozen ground and burst itno bloom.  This year we have flowers pushing through SNOW, greeting still cold days with the outstretched greens.  Surprisingly, day lilies I don't usually see before early summer were convinced during the unseasonably warm days in February to adjust their arrival time. It appears the gardening game is ON!

    




Thinking... and forcing SPRING!
A warm country hug to all,
Lisa <3