Dogwood Blossoming

It's that time of year again -- when the Dogwood tree in my front yard starts blooming. It will have small buds ones day and then be bursting forth with blossoms the next.

The blossoms always appear to me to be yearning for sunlight and attention. I have no problem giving them attention since they are so front-and-center out of my bedroom window!

Spring mornings when I open my blinds and the Dogwood bloosoms greet me remind me of why I mustered through the dreary winter all those months...

Hidden Treasures

For many years now I have seen this knot in my backyard crabapple tree. It was something I just took for granted and didn't think much about.

But the other day I went over to it and looked more closely. To my surprise I saw how interesting and detailed it is. What from afar was only, "a knot" up close became a container of lines that formed an image.

I see a being with frizzy, excited hair standing on end who is dancing in the sunlight.

Can you see it too? What do you see?

Code Yellow!

The finches are back in full force!

I had been waiting to get the finch feeder back up and in action until the grass/mud dried a bit (selfish of me, I know, to keep the birds waiting just to keep my shoes from getting muddy) and now that I have put the feeders back up the little yellow members of the backyard community are back in great numbers.

The males are already almost fully yellow but there are some other birds (either young males or females) that have a more muted yellow coloring.

I love these finches because they are a pretty strong little bird! They will fight with each other when they need too (the females are a little more demure) but they always remain a sense of dignity. They sit at the feeder as if they are the sweetest thing and just keep pecking for their thistle. Only when provoked to give up their perch do they do some defending.

And in addition, the finches have such a lovely song that they sing and they do it from the tops of the tree branches of the crabapple tree like a clear and present beacon of optimism. The little finches whistle their sing-song melody with all the confidence of a bigger bird as they call out to whoever is listening. -- I know I am!

Musing Inspiration

Ok so I am just loving that spring has returned. I found this picture among my photo files and was so pleased. I took it a couple years ago and seemed to have forgotten about it (how?!). It is so pleasant to me.

It speaks of contemplation and comaraderie and creativity. These are three things I am working on right now. I love the muted colors that speak to me of mystery and unknowing.

What are the nymphs thinking about? What are they wondering? How do they feel?

Foggy spring mornings that hover between winter and summer are so full of potential. The energy that was reserved during winter is coming out of hiding. What will it produce?

Spring is Springing!

Spring has finally arrived! Of course I knew it would but this year it seemed to have had a little trouble getting started with the lingering snows, cold and wet weather.

But spring is officially here! The bud, blooms and blossoms are popping up all over the place. There is newness at every turn. I love spring and the energy it brings.

I've been thinking about energy lately and how I have so much of it and how it isn't focused. If I could better harness my energy I could get so much done! Well, I do get "so much done" but if I could determine what exactly it is that I *most* want to get done then I could put my energy into that and really go for it. This is the task I want to take on -- figuring out where to harness and focus my energy.

But for now I am anticipating new flowers and new nature to walk in, look at and take photos of! As much as I don't love winter the reward of spring is so sweet!

Rite of Spring

I've been listening to the Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky in preparation for hearing my good friend play it this weekend. He plays the bassoon which is how the piece opens.

This music is so difficult and attractive at the same time. The music is discordant yet enticing that you can't help but get pulled in by its drama.

The Rite of Spring is also known as Sacred Spring and it has a subtitle of Pictures from Pagan Russia. It was originally written as a ballet and was meant as a fantasy vision of a pagan ritual. The complex music depicts pagan fertility rites. It caused a scandal in Paris when it was first performed. (It was also the music used for the classic Disney Fantasia movie).

The drama still hasn't died down. This piece is something to hear and for me it feels very right in the push-pull tension I feel in the late winter/early spring time.

We still don't have a full-fledged spring here in spite of the wish of all creatures around to begin new fertility. This music understands the dilemma....