Lesson Learned

As we were leaving the house one morning on a cold and blustery day, I noticed the tulips had started to sprout out of the earth from their winters slumber.  As were driving around town, I noticed the trees starting to bud, preparing to burst with newborn leaves.

These sights caught me off guard because we have not had spring-like weather.  These are events I thought were triggered by warmer days; and we, by no means, had yet to have warm days.  With my curiosity peaked, I did some research on the matter, and found that temperature was only part of the equation.

Sunlight is the main cause for trees to bud, and perennials to sprout.  As the days get longer, the plants get more energy from the sun and begin to grow.  Just like in the fall, as the sunlight decreases, the trees know to shut down, lose their leaves, and prepare for winter.

At least I learned something from the cold clutches of winter refusing to give way to the revitalizing warmth of spring.  And warmer days are on the way!

Spring Bouquet

I just can't get enough of this springtime splendor. It has been a spring for the ages with the warm weather and beautiful flowers everywhere I look. The sensational fragrance that accompanies some of the flowers is only matched by their beauty. To my delight, we have some of the more wonderful scents of spring blossoming right outside our windows.

We have a lilac bush outside our dining room window which was in full bloom again this year. It is an older plant, and has grown to be quite large. It is still going strong, though, and it is one of Valerie's favorites.  It has a lovely fragrance, and we usually have a vase with some of its flowering branches sitting on the table.

New to our landscaping is a Burkwood Daphne, or 'Carol Mackie' shrub. It was by my insistence that we bought this shrub, and I wanted it because of scent alone. The fragrance that comes from its petite white flowers is my definition of what spring should smell like. We planted it by the porch and its aroma sometimes wafts through our living room windows. Every time I walk past it, I have to stop and smell the flowers. I've done it so much, Ari and Emilie do the same thing when they walk by.