Finally Spring has arrived here in Southern Ontario.
I’ve been eagerly waiting for things to start popping up, as this is the first year I set out on a mission to catch some new plant growth as it happens.
We had an especially long winter this year, with a snowfall and ice storm in April. For the first time in my life it was cold, wet and snowy on my birthday, April 17th. So it has been an especially long wait!
I’ve deliberately walked along the same trails since the Fall in order to observe changes in nature and the plants. February, March and the beginning of April were a very long wait for anything interesting to happen. But then suddenly, I would say within 24 hours of our very first warm day, young sprouts are coming up everywhere as if by magic.
I have never noticed before how quickly these things happen! It’s really so delightful.
The violets and nettles that I have been dreaming about are here. These are both edible plants, and if I was in an area that wasn’t a popular dog-walking trail in the city, then I would forage some to eat.
Also Coltsfoot is one of the very first signs of Spring. They resemble dandelions. It’s so nice to see them finally appearing along the river.
I also saw bees among the scilla flowers! These flowers are a garden-escape species and they actually come up pretty early, before the last frost.
Life has regenerated and nature is alive again with new energy.
“The coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.” – Thoreau