Yesterday the twig was brown and bare;
Today the glint of green is there;
Tomorrow will be leaflets spare;
I know no thing so wondrous fair,
No miracle so strangely rare.I wonder what will next be there!
~ The Miracle, L.H. Bailey
Dust off your backpacking gear because it is April!
Spring has arrived here in the Northern Hemisphere, and that means warmth is already here or near. Near for many of us. It has been an incredibly long and cold winter here in North Carolina, as most of the U.S. We’ve had a few warm “teaser” days followed by a string of cold and rainy days. Yet, spring is starting to show itself a little more each day.
The sunlit days are getting noticeably longer, green buds are appearing on all the trees, and flowers are starting to emerge. The bees and butterflies will soon appear and begin gathering nectar from the first flowers of the season. Hibernating critters will climb out of their burrows to stretch their legs and forage for food. Birds tweet as they fly northbound, or settle down to make nests. Garden beds are prepared for new seedlings. Achoo! Pollen floats across the breezy air. The outdoors spring back to life!
Butterfly on Rhododendron
Spring vegetable and herb seedlings
Bluebirds taking a rest at the bird bath
Cleaning the backpacking kitchen set
The air is getting warmer and the green is filling in
See you on the trails!