Whilst this winter hasn’t been particularly harsh, it seems as though it is finally beginning to relinquish its hold. This is no guarantee that remnants of winter won’t linger on for months, or make surprise appearances such as snow in October, but there is definitely more than a hint of spring in the mountain air.
The incremental lengthening of sunlight, day by day, helps winter to recede. There has been a run of days with more sunlight than rain, and plants are responding by sending out shoots, forming buds and generally bracing themselves for spring. The high temperatures during the day are reaching double digits. Frosts are still in occurrence but they are less frequent and their intensity is diminished.
A late afternoon walk around my neighbourhood further fuelled my suspicions. Daffodils are out, their bright yellow heads nodding politely in the breeze. Camellias are still blooming, their graceful branches weighted down by white, pink and magenta flowers. I brushed past a hedge bristling with daphne blooms, a sensory delight. Lavender plants are sending up spikes, a portent of perfume to follow. The fruit trees are budding, new growth sprouting along the branches. There are flower beds with pansies and violas and calendulas, and daisy bushes are starting to open their bright faces to the sun. Early bristles of hebe plants provide a soft flush of colour against foliage. There are bright flares of wattle in flower, always heartening to see. Rhododendron trees are studded with tightly budded flowers, ready to unfurl. Some early starters are out already, delicate petals with splashes of colour.
But once the sun dips below the horizon the cold creeps back in. Wood smoke curls its way into the air, fragrant and comforting. There are still stacks of wood alongside most houses, ready for the variable weather ahead. Galahs and cockatoos swoop and pirouette in the air above, probably keen for the spring growth to provide some variety after winter pickings. Kookaburras gather in the tall trees and laugh as the day fades away.
Are the seasons beginning to change in your neighbourhood?
[Photo: wattle in bloom]
jml297 
There is nothing quite as nice as the first signs of Spring! Sadly, I’m in a different hemisphere, so my summer is winding down and Fall will arrive shortly. I like Fall, but it’s followed by winter, which I’m not so happy with. So I’ll just remind myself that in other areas of the world, Spring is almost here!
LikeLike
I walked with you on your beautifully written journey. In sync with your keenly observed changes in the mountains so blue; here in London, sunflower petals begin to pall and the morning light has subtly changed. Autumn whispers her approach.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, and so lovely to have a glimpse of the changes in your back yard. I enjoyed the image of the sunflower petals palling, and the shift in light as one season slips into another.
LikeLiked by 1 person