Beautiful Springtime

As I walked out my front door this morning to get the morning paper, the first thing that struck me (besides the brilliant sunlight) was the fragrance of the hyacinths blooming in front of my porch. These beauties are a two-edged sword for me. While I enjoy their beauty and fragrance, they turn me to a sneezing, wheezing pot of sniffles if I breathe them in too long. I learned long ago that the overly fragrant flowers are meant to be enjoyed from a distance, and not in my house. Same goes for lilacs.

With the beauty in my head and my nose, I took a turn around the house and admired the new growth of tulips and mums, and enjoyed the radiance of the long-stemmed daffodils. Aren't they happy flowers? Each one seems to be a ray of sunshine. I get a similar feeling from daisies.

I slogged back through the back edge of the property to check on the Red Bud tree that we planted for our anniversary last fall. It survived the winter! I saw clusters of tiny buds sprouting along the twiggy limbs, eager to showcase heart-shaped leaves.

Swinging back behind the fence I was especially pleased to see that the Engleman Ivy that Gail dug up for me last fall also made it. I honestly thought this one was a goner, but she assured me that it would pull through. Why did I ever doubt the "Plant Sage?" My friends call me the "Plant Whisperer," but Gail makes me look like a novice (at least when it comes to perennials). My ivy's closest neighbor also made it -- a clematis that I had to transplant very late in the fall, due to our new patio taking over its home. They do not like to be moved, but I guess it was happy in its new location.

All in all, my walk around the yard was uplifting to my spirit. Spring flowers and buds always bring me hope for the future (even with the sniffles and the sneezing). It's a lesson to enjoy the beauty in life, even amidst the hardships. Enjoy your day...and your springtime beauty.