Happy Friday! Thanks for joining us and our friends Rosy, Sunny and Jakey from LLB in Our Backyard for this week’s Nature Friday blog hop. It’s been a super hectic week with Nature throwing just about everything at us together with lots of commitments and appointments. When Norman went to hospital earlier this week, there was a little bit of snow with chilly temps. We were nearly blown away by gusty winds over the past couple of days but managed to find some elements of spring now that it has officially arrived. Even though they were small changes, they were still most welcome.
Small specks of green caught my eye on yesterday’s walk and to say I was surprised to see this lilac bush beginning to leaf out, would be a big understatement.
Even a nearby Yew tree showed signs of renewal, with fresh new sprigs of green along with its beautifully textured bark.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s still plenty of drab to be seen as this clump of crocuses with that shock of color sprouting in some ornamental grass and fallen leaves shows, but it was just the right pop of color to encourage me to be on the lookout for more like it.
And then it happened…a full on blast of spring I’ve been looking for to prove spring is coming, was discovered. I spotted the first blooming tulip over at my neighbor’s house. Seeing it proves that spring is indeed moving forward. Of course, that other season (who shall not be named), will no doubt make a few cameo appearances (goodness knows we can use it) but there’s nothing like spring’s hopeful signs of renewal and rebirth to brighten one’s spirits. We plan to enjoy it, especially since temps will likely reach 80ºF this weekend.
What are your plans for the weekend? Anything fun on tap? We plan to relax and rejuvenate after a busy week but will keep our eyes open for more signs of spring. Whatever you do, we hope you will enjoy a similar encounter.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Lulu: “You’ve got buds, you’ve got blooms … looks like spring to me!”
And with each day, they continue to shout it out to passerbys!
What beautiful glimpses of Spring in your area!!! We had our first Spring WOW yesterday when all our trees started to bloom!
Blooming trees in spring is one of the most special parts of spring in the Rockies. Hope it’s the cherry on top of your weekend!
That burst of summer that sprouts through the drab, lonesome monochrome of winter is worth the price of admission, Monika.
Why thank you for those kind words, sir. Have a wonderful weekend!
Right back atcha!
I hate busy weeks…..but some just ARE aren’t they. Hopefully a peaceful weekend coming your way. Love the photos – nice to see signs of Spring – she is being a little stubborn and reluctant to stay this year so far but I think Miss Spring will decide to stop being flighty and remain in the next week or two!
Hugs, Pam
We’ve had something going on every day. It’s exhausting in the best of times, made more intense on those weeks when we’re at hospital. We were both pretty knackered!
Enjoy the glimpses of Spring. I don’t think I ever heard of a Yew tree. We will be celebrating my daughter’s birthday this weekend! 😊❤ Happy Weekend to you!
Happy birthday to your daughter-savor the celebration! Yew are fascinating evergreen trees. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxus_baccata for more details. I never realize how poisonous they are to both the 2 and 4 legged sect until I looked into them!
Thanks Monika! We will have a good time! 😊🎊🎁
Thanks for the link!
That tulip was a real sign of spring!
A definite sign and a lovely surprise. Wishing you, Leo and all the Thugs a lovely weekend.
Love the picture of the yew, very pretty and so interesting how it sprouts!
They are such gorgeous evergreens but I had no idea how poisonous they are to humans and the 4-legged.No wonder I don’t see many around!
I was not aware of that either, guess we need to add it to the (already long) list!
👍🏻 They look so lovely yet all parts of them are quite toxic.
Woot! A real, live tulip flower! That is a sure sign of spring. It makes us so happy!
Love and licks,
Cupcake
Tulips are the fancy doorman welcoming us to spring, aren’t they? 🌷
Are you certain that the blooming tulip wasn’t a recent addition from the florist?
Nope, my neighbor has had them in that spot welcoming passerbys for years. 🌷
80 degrees? Are you shitting me? My goodness the mountains really do make all the difference. And a tulip! Even those who have been torturing me with daffodils haven’t had the nerve to tease me with any tulips!
Lovely, Monika. I am so glad you found so many signs of spring. Here, today, especially, everything that could fall from the sky, did. And then the sun came. The sky is back to grey but that’s okay because there is zero snow on my front lawn and what’s in the back, well, I don’t much care. yet.
Happy Friday my friend!
Wish I were. Sorry about the tease. I was shocked seeing the tulip. Seemed early to me. Enjoy your Friday as well as a great weekend.
Nah! You know I jest.
Thank you. Hopefully I can go up and down the stairs without gasping for breath, soon.
I love crocuses, tulips, and daffys, so very happy to see two of the 3 on your post. Last year we had some random daffys in the one flower bed, but I haven’t seen any yet this year. I still have a hard time staying in Ducky’s yard for very long. Meanwhile, hoping to be able to get our dog “fix” on Sunday but not sure yet.
Here’s wishing it’s a dog fix kind of weekend for you. Daffodils can be the cherry on top.
Mee-yow those Crowcussess an Tulipss are beeuteefull. Our Snowdropss are up butt not open; iss so chilley here.
CATFISH! Wee have had sum high wind two plus rain, rain an more rain…..
Wee mite need a canoe if rain keepss up!
Tee-Gee-Eye-Eff rite Miss Monika an Sweet Norman an Elsa!
***nose bopss*** BellaDharma an {{{huggiess}}} BellaSita Mum
Ooh snowdrops…I have only seen them at the local botanical gardens. Such a sweet looking plant. Wishing you and your mum a lovely weekend with some nice weather.
Spring is a wonderful time of year and you captured it perfectly.
Have a fabulous day and weekend. Scritches to the pups, a smooch to Norman and a hug to you. ♥
It’s such a beautiful time of year that begs us to go outside and discover it. Thanks for the smooches, right back atcha!
February has been unusually cold hereabouts, and way too dry. So we’ll have to wait some more for te spring blossoms.
I’m worried most of the southwest will be drier this year. Let’s stay hopeful something develops before summer arrives. Enjoy your weekend.
Listen, can you hear it? Spring’s sweet cantata. The strains of grass pushing through the snow. The song of buds swelling on the vine. The tender timpani of a baby robin’s heart. Spring.
Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider, Northern Exposure, Wake Up Call, 1992
We are looking forward to the high 80s this weekend. Hope y’all have a good one.
And you as well (even though high 80’s isn’t exactly what I’d define as ‘a good one’). To each his own, right? Have a good one, whatever the temps are!
😁
We are enjoying forsythia and the weeping willow trees are showing green. Spring flowers are peeping though but still shy.
Wow, you’re well ahead of us but with warmer temps, I suspect things will speed up quickly. Enjoy that beautiful forsythia-such a lovely springtime addition to any garden. Have a great weekend!
I haven’t seen a tulip yet and the daffs aren’t as robust as yours are.
That blooming tulip caught me off guard. I’ve never seen any before the daffodils get going (but it’s faces south and gets loads of sunlight) so I guess anything is possible.
so that’s why my allergies are blooming along with the pollen from sprouts!
Tree pollen is really high this time of year. It’s annoying but sooo worth it! Enjoy (between sneezes and being pulled up). 😊