Awakening

With these warmer and longer days, Nature awakens from her winter's sleep.

That's what I love about the seasons, there is always something new to enjoy.

Snowdrops are one of the first flowers to appear,

real harbingers of spring getting ready underneath the nurturing soil.

Wild anemone emerging from the depths of last year's fallen leaves.

Primroses are also early spring flowers. I found these growing out of a very tiny crack in a wall.

I love it when plants find a place to grow when there is seemingly no visible earth.

Sweet violets that I remember picking as a child and putting them into the smallest

thimble-sized vases!

Last year's fern has developed new green leaves, perfect for yet another crack in a wall.

Crocus are just everywhere. I saw these in the park.

Many little pale purple heads hiding an astonishing orange centre.

The buds are positively swelling and some young leaves are bursting forth

It's a little early for blossom still, but these were growing in a sunny spot.

At last!

The golden daffodil

just starting to open down in the park.

Crossing the foot bridge near me at the start of one of my outings, 

this beautiful Siamese cat. He was sitting on a pile of branches looking up at the people

passing on the bridge.

Among all these colourful and cheerful spring blooms,

 I noticed these dried hydrangea flowers and thought how beautiful they looked

against the pale blue sky.

***

A few words on awakening:

"Since ancient times, the term awakening has been used as a kind of metaphor

that points to the transformation of human consciousness,

The word Buddha comes from the Sanskrit word Budh,

meaning 'to be awake'.

So Buddha is not a name and ultimately not a person,

but a state of consciousness"

words by Eckhart Tolle