Spring’s Buds

After a few beautifully warm March days, we have the soft drizzle once again.  For those who feel the damp in their bones, these are difficult days, full of aches and niggles, and when we are coping with grief as well grey skies don’t help.

What does help, I think, are the signs of spring that so reassure us that ahead of us lie warm dry days.  At the burial ground, along with the snowdrops and primroses, the first daffodils have flower buds swelling which, with another day of sunshine, will burst open in all their golden glory.

Other buds are also full of promise.  The cherries are pushing out their spiky leaf buds, the red leaf buds on the roses are beginning too, and the black leaf buds of the ash are growing every day.  On the hawthorn, the leaf buds are pinky red, and the creamy buds on the blackthorn are suddenly spreading over their grey thorny twigs: these are flower buds, and in a few weeks with a little more sunshine they will open bringing a froth of white to the hedgerows.

Flowerbuds on the Blackthorn

Flowerbuds on the Blackthorn at Sun Rising

I know we could all use some warm dry weather.  Until it comes, let us find strength in nature’s beauty and her promise of renewal!