Thursday, March 11, 2010

The Promise of Spring

It sort of snuck up on me. I knew that snow has been melting (and we're in the mud season-just ask the dog!) but I forgot to check the earliest bloomers. A beautiful sunny afternoon in these parts and sure enough, there they were!

Pushing valiantly up through the sticky autumn leaves. Still closed on the north side and open on the sunny south side. Such pretty little Snowdrops given to me by a friend a couple of years ago, and doing very well under my crab apple tree. The very first flowers of the season in my gardens and ohhhhh so welcome after a long hard winter!!


Other early bulbs are pushing up, but I'm not quite sure what is what yet. And the moss and lichens on the Northwest side of the Basswood are such a lovely shade of green.


Finally, the big magnolia tree here is truly just loaded with velvety flower buds. If the weather cooperates to let it bloom properly (and this is a touch and go situation, year to year, at best) it will be a magnificent site. I recall that I marveled last fall that these little bits would survive the winter, all the freezing and extremes, but would burst into bloom again come Spring, when conditions were right. Can you imagine--each of these plump little buds will bit a nice big white flower?!! It's one of my favorite things!


OK, now for a bit of business. I need your vote!! Really! There's a "Best in Show" contest going on over at the new "I Heart Handmade" show, and I really am proud of my little "Booth" here, so I need you to pop over, scroll down to "WillOaks Studio" (at the bottom of the alphabet, of course!) and "pull the lever!" Here's a direct link to the page for voting:
Poll: Who is your favorite shop in the Spring I Heart Handmade market?

And after a couple of good nights of sleep, I'm settling back into my Entrecard mode, such as it was prior to that debacle of being deleted. Yep, I'm sticking it out and was the grateful recipient (such a nice surprise!) of left over EC credits from Lin over at Duck and Wheel with String and Jude over at Mature not Senile as they have both left Entrecard. Plus Shelia at The Ad Master put an image for my blog over on her blog. I had lost my place in line for an EC ad on her blog, which I'd waited nearly 2 weeks for, when my reservations were all "erased" by Entrecard. Don't worry, I've also bought a legit ad over on her blog with my returned credits, as I work to get my EC reservations/widget spots back up to snuff!!

Thanks to all, each and every one, for your support through all this...you all really helped me with a tricky time and I'm so glad to have all you great readers/bloggers/and blogger buddies in my life! XXX♥♥♥000 Enjoy my first peeks at SPRING!

12 comments:

Duni said...

That magnolia tree must look magnificent when in full bloom.
No signs of spring here yet. It is snowing as I'm writing this!

J. M. P. said...

Done! I voted there.
That shot with the bud is awesome! I'm so glad that we finally see the spring.

Hot Rocks said...

It is so exciting to see Spring emerging! Lucky you...it will still be awhile until I see those signs up here in my neck of the woods!

Anonymous said...

Okey dokey I voted. I do miss having a back yard with stuff growing in it. Me and the cats, just sitting on the porch watching leaves quiver and squirrels and birds each other around...I'm not a gardener person, we never, or rarely, actually walked out into the yard LOL I just liked to watch it - we had some lovely lovely weeds...and a little old man who came every two weeks to mow...

Lenox Knits said...

You got my vote. I missed all the excitement earlier in the week. Sorry you had to deal with all of that hassle. I guess it is worth it. I know when I stop dropping for a few days my page views take a nosedive. EC is frustrating sometimes but I saw nothing coming from my Adigitize time whatsoever.
I love the spring shots too!

Clara said...

What exciting pictures! I can hardly wait to see your pix of them in bloom. I'm so glad spring is coming at last.

Kelly said...

I voted for you at "I Heart Handmade". :)

Thanks for sharing the Spring photos, love the ones of those fuzzy magnolia buds. I saw your comment on my blog and you're right - it's interesting seeing the different things that start sprouting first in other climates around the country (and world too)!

I'll send you a convo on Esty about my banner - thanks!

Aldon Hynes said...

I've been watching the spring shoots come up around my house as well. My yard, and these pictures remind me of a great old poem by Robert Frost:
Nothing Gold Can Stay

"Nature's first green is gold
Her hardest hue to hold..."

jude8753 said...

I haven't seen anything Springy here yet and it was so nice the past few days now it is cold, rainy, and windy here. Monday is my final day at EC that's when my last advertiser runs, but I'll be sure to keep visiting your blog. I just went over and voted for you, happy weekend.

Rick (Ratty) said...

All of these new little growths are great. I've been watching for the same thing, but they always come late in the nature park I've been going to. I'll have to try one of my other places.

Lin said...

Oooh, I forgot to go look at my magnolia--I'll do that tomorrow. Every year at this time I wish I had planted snowdrops and every fall I forget. Sigh. I'll enjoy yours, okay???

Papa Sez said...

Definitely my favorite season when I lived in the East Coast for five years--so much promise...so much anticipation. Cheers!

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