Spring Is Almost Here

Daylight Savings time is almost here and that means more daylight and more spring flowers! Can’t wait! Ok, that might have just given it away that I’m a dork, if you hadn’t figured that out already. My best friend has known it for years. I can’t help it, though. Spring is an exciting time for me, as the earth awakens from her winter slumber, taking a deep breath and stretching her green legs. I think poet and NJ native Joyce Kilmer put it best in “Spring”...

“The air is like a butterfly
With frail blue wings.
The happy earth looks at the sky
And sings.”

The earth is just starting to sing. Don’t worry, I’ll try to refrain from breaking out into the “Sound of Music” or anything like that.

The daffodils decided to show their faces first this year, but there’s another favorite that’s blooming now:  snowdrops (galanthus). When I was a kid I used to call them “snowbells” instead of snowdrops. I think it just had to do with the shape of the flower. I believe the variety I have is Galanthus Elwesii, if I remember correctly. You can’t always trust my memory, but I think you can on this one. I love the teardrop shaped petals and the bit of green in the center of that pure white. They are so delicate and lovely. And they just look like they should make a tinkling bell sound in the breeze, don’t you think? Ok, that’s just me being a dork again. Unfortunately, only two survived out the 10 or so that I planted a couple years ago. Did they fall victim to squirrels? Could be, could be.

In December of 2007 we had a cat that adopted us. We found it living under our back porch. For some reason I decided to name her Snowbell, naming her after the “snowbells” I enjoyed at my mom’s house in the early spring. Unfortunately, Snowbell wasn’t the nicest kitty in the world. We think maybe she had been abused and kicked around because she would hiss and swat at you if you moved your legs or pet her anywhere but her head and neck. At the time we already had a cat with “behavioral problems” and knew we couldn’t take on another one. Luckily for Snowbell, a kind-hearted co-worker was willing to put up with her personality quirks and adopted her. So that’s the story of Snowbell, not to be confused with snowdrops.

This is a snowdrop...  

Snowdrop (Galanthus).

This is a Snowbell...

Snowbell, the cat we found living under our porch in 12/07.

Getting back to spring blooms, so far only one crocus was brave enough to flower yet (see previous post from Feb 24 “Winter? What Winter?”). I’m waiting to see when the rest will show their faces this year. I couldn’t resist another picture of my Helleborus Bridal Queen, though. It has at least 10 flowers this year. Rock on, Hellebore!

Helleborus Bridal Queen, yet again looking like a beautiful blushing bride.