Spring ... in various places

[Randi]

I'm in Denmark and we definitely have spring. During the last few weeks we've had days warm enough to sit out in the sun in short sleeves. The buds on trees are coming out, the ground is covered in all sort of blue and yellow flowers and lots of various birds are singing and looking for nests. Wonderful!

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Hey, here in Belgium it is Spring since quite some time now!! In fact, we didn't have a real Winter! Today it's almost 20°C!!
Our garden is bursting with uncountable flowers; I will try to attach some pics

[Karen]

Oh, Lut, thank you! THAT is what spring should look like!

[Asiel]

Such beautiful flowers- I don't think we'll see that here for at least two months or more. We have quite a few feet of snow still. It rained today and melted about two feet but we still have at least 4 more to go. The forecast is calling for a colder night with another snowfall tonight so who knows when spring will come here. At least we aren't getting any more - 30's or more. We actually had a high of 9 degrees today but the humidity was fierce.

[phesina]

Just where do you live, Asiel?

Pat

[Karen]

Just a wee update - despite my predictions, it was not until today's bright sunshine that the last of the snowbank in from of the apartment went away. But it is now gone. Was out at dad's house today, and did a little cleaning off of the Iris bed, and there are new shoots coming up that will now get sunlight.

[Barbara]

We had the warmest winter I have ever seen- hardly any snow at all North of the alps. It is the first March I could go without socks
Saturday I went for a ten mile hike and saw cherry blossoms, little yellow primula (we call them "keys of heaven"), little wild blue anemones. Everything is green, the trees start budding, bright yellow forsythia is everywhere. The farm kitties were outside in the fields dozing in front of mouse holes.
I am so sorry for all my American friends- but here it is spectacular.

[Karen]

We had snow yesterday, but it had all melted by noon - that counts as a sign of spring, right?

And driving on the highway tray, my mum-in-law was pointing out there were hop leaves on any of the trees, so I waited and then pointed out a faint haze of red (maple) and chartreuse tinged yellow (the willows) and said - "See, they are budding, anyway!" There were only obvious in spots near the river, but they exist!

[Karen]

Though the spring has been cold
And a hard freeze heart-breaking,
Still spring comes.

Close your eyes tight and listen
The two-note call of the chickadee
Alway a minor fourth in sharp relief
Against the dull grey of cloud
Calls to the heart
Buried deep in a winter-weary chest

Spring-time! Spring-time! it calls,
Looking for love but I
Whistle back to it once or twice
Wrong species, I know
Far too clunky and earthbound for the tiny flitting one

Spring-time! it calls,
And I whistle back just so it knows
That someone hears,
And that no matter the cold
The hard ground and frozen buds
And I know …

The chickadee is calling
Spring-time! Spring-time!

And though cranky commuters
Grumbled angrily, scraping ice and snow
From yesterday’s windshields
And jammed earbuds in
With news radio playing,
Hoping for someone to blame for
Cold fingers and winter’s return
But I know ...

The chickadee is calling
Spring-time! Spring-time!

And it will come.