I could go out and point the camera at the fresh snow falling right now, but that would be altogether too discouraging. Spring has just sprung, at least by the calendar, and by golly! if the snow hasn’t caught up with the news, too bad for it.
To portray the freshness that is associated with Spring, I’ll turn instead to the annual bulb show at Mount Holyoke College, which we visited last weekend. There were many beautiful flowering bulbs in the tulip, daffodil, freesia, and narcissus families, and I was thrilled to document them. But when I looked again at my haul of photos, the one that stood out in my mind as the real harbinger of Spring was this one:
See the fresh hint of green in those fuzzy catkins. The pussy willow (genus Salix) with its many male catkins that appear long before its leaves, is one of the earliest signs of spring here in New England. After the drastic winter we’ve endured, all white and black, but mostly white, the subtle grayish green of the new catkins seems more appropriate than the gaudy colors of the flowering bulbs, lovely though those are.
To the modest self-effacing freshness of the pussy willows, then — a hearty welcome! Gray has never looked so good —-
A View From The Woods 
What a wonderful photo; worthy of being a photo contest entry!
It is especially welcomed as the snow continues to fall quite heavily here on the North Shore of eastern Long Island. While we know that Spring can’t be far away, any and all assurances are appreciated.
Thanks so much, Nancy! I loved the photo especially because I didn’t even remember having taken it, there were so many more glamorous flowers around.
Spring can’t be far away, but you couldn’t prove it around here today, just like on Long Island. The white you-know-what is back again. The only good thing about it is that all the mounds are white again, instead of dirty! But it IS March 20th, and April is on the way, and May follows April. So we live in hope!
Thanks again for coming by, and for commenting!
Wonderful photo! Love catkins, but I have a feeling it will take quite some time before we get to see them there.
Us too. These were in the college greenhouse. At the moment all here is white. Again.
Ah, the pussy willow, how I loved seeing them emerge in the Spring when I lived in the UK!
Lovely photo.
Of course these were prudently growing in the college greenhouse —
And a good thing too. Snowed at least an inch again yesterday, and against the forecast, is happily snowing away today!
Fuzzy plant! Never seen it before, but it reminds me of cactus. But it doesn’t sounds like it’s sharp 😀 Brilliant photo, love the composition and how the fuzzies stand out. Well done. Hopefully the snow stays at bay and more flowers will bloom 🙂
My only attempt at a “macro” effect — which is why you see the spiky effect.
In fact pussy willows are as soft to the touch as furry little pussycats, hence the name.
Thanks for the cheerful hope — but we had another inch yesterday and it’s snowing hard and steadily again this morning — when it’s supposed to have stopped!
The poet asked, “If winter comes, can spring be far behind?”
Now we know that the answer is “yes.”
Maybe it’s the last big snowfall and you won’t experience another come end of the year. Good luck. Spring is coming 🙂
Well, the snowfall did stop yesterday late. And spring may really be coming.
But we are going to meet friends later for dim sum at the one lone place in the Valley, so come what may, for today I am happy!
🙂
Fabulous! Beautiful shots. I would say much better than more snow that I am sure you are sick of. 🙂
The lady is so right!
Thanks for coming by and commenting, Angelia. It’s much appreciated! (unlike the snow 😉
A terrific pic! Here’s to all of the snow melting, the temperatures warming, and the flowers blooming.
I’ll toast to that!
🙂
Now this is 50 shades of gray I WILL look at, with pleasure!
😆
Delightful – and, as Nancy Lustig said, a contest-worthy shot.
Thanks very much, Twin #1!