April 1: Very still, grey day. I went to a little spinney to see a large bush of the Great Round-leaved Willow, which is a perfect picture just now, covered all over with great golden catkins, that light up the copse like hundreds of little fairy lamps.April 7: Another glorious day. Cycled to Knowle. On the way found some Marsh Marigolds and Blackthorn in blossom. The Tadpoles have come out of the balls of jelly and career madly about the aquarium wagging their little black tails.
April 12: Painted the pony and colt all morning in the field. Very hot sun and cool breeze. Saw a beautiful Peacock butterfly and found some Purple Orchis in flower.
April 15: Easter Sunday. Anther brilliant day. Saw a pair of House Martins, watched some Trout in the Leet and found a Chaffinch’s nest nearly finished in a young Hawthorn.April 28: Showers of hail and sleet.
She also includes this little poem.
The Cry of the Children
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
The young lambs are bleating n the meadows,
The you ng birds are chirping in the nest,
They young fawns are playing with the shadows,
The young flowers are blowing toward the west—
Go out, children, from the mine and from the city;
Sing out, children, as the little thrushes do;
Pluck your handfuls of meadow-cowslips pretty,
Laugh aloud to feel your fingers let them through!
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
The young lambs are bleating n the meadows,
The you ng birds are chirping in the nest,
They young fawns are playing with the shadows,
The young flowers are blowing toward the west—
Go out, children, from the mine and from the city;
Sing out, children, as the little thrushes do;
Pluck your handfuls of meadow-cowslips pretty,
Laugh aloud to feel your fingers let them through!
A lovely reminder to our inner child to take a few moments from what we’re doing and appreciate nature.
Maybe even go tadpoling! I remember being so intrigued by them as a child—first poking globs of frogs’ eggs with a stick, coming back to scoop tadpoles into a jar and watch them swim, and then later catching them when they were tiny frogs that still had their tails.
What’s your favorite part of spring?
Happy April Fools Day!
Until next time,
Lee
4 comments:
Loved the poem, Lee. My favourite part of spring is how, after the snow disappears, the earth wakes up. Trees are budding, breezes are warm, and I'm having a great time watching the new calves romp in the fields as I drive to work.
Sheryll
Sheryll, your drive sounds like a lovely way to start and finish your workday.
Many things are budding and blooming here in the Pacific Northwest, but we're still waiting for those warm breezes!
Lee, I always loved the first "pussy willows" and how soft they felt. I always enjoyed seeing the first signs of spring in the garden, little crocuses poking up their pretty heads and hoping the squirrels wouldn't nip off the flowers - which they did one year.
Now in Victoria, when the deer eat everything in sight we know it's spring.
Oh, those darned squirrels!
I have never planted tuplips, so when several popped up in my garden several years ago, you can imagine surprise.
All the thanks to industrious little squirrel who took them from a neighbor's yard and buried them in mine!
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