The local nurseries and flower markets are loaded with starts, but I can feel the pink of the hard orange rose hips still sleeping, snoring in thorns, and hear the tiny golden broach just touching the iridescent crimson of the humming-bird’s throat.
Spring came yellowing in a green coach, wavy red-orange hair billowing out the open windows, the coarse driver spitting and spurring the horses to spirit, but the horses needed a rest already, apparently, and Spring slowed to a walk, not even a trot. Slug, slug, slug. One evening, a few weeks ago, we ate dinner outdoors – a false spring. I had lugged out the wooden table from the basement into the backyard, and we lit candles – it’s been covered with a vinyl table cloth since, to protect it from the rains.
And still the going is slow, the soil too wet to work, but I work it anyway, and the only birds following the hampered whirlicote, and a few Mew Gulls (never saw them before this far inland), sensing a lost trawler on restless water. Still, the apple tree is in fine form, drenched with blossoms and besotted with a few skittish bees. A little early for besotted bees, but there it is, Spring.
The Coming of the Toads 
Hi…Got here via Twitter. Beautiful post! Makes me anxious to get to my friend’s in rural PA and get started in his garden after checking to see how the irises and allium are doing. I’m sure my gardening company, his cat Johnny Red, is anxious too, anxious that I don’t disturb his favorite spots which I invariably do. I live in an extremely urban part of NYC and that is my personal link to what you are talking about.
LikeLike
!Thanks for Great comment, “Johnny Red’s favorite spots,” we’ve a few Johnnys here also, and thanks for reading. You’ve got me thinking of an urban spring post, something close in, in the industrial section, near the train tracks and the river, under the I-5…, and Fowlings, and a few other favorite pub spots…
LikeLike
Spring is such a wonderful time of year. New and fresh, it gives us all hope for a better tomorrow. Thanks Joe.
LikeLike
Hey, Geannie! Yes, spring does, and today especially was one of those days, bit of a roller coaster, but at least I didn’t risk hitting my head on a cloud, for the sky was solid blue, empty, some might say, but not for me, and not for you, just full of blue.
LikeLike
Thanks, Joe! You light up my delight.
LikeLike
Thanks for reading and comment, Arthur.
LikeLike
Our roses are in full bloom, here in the desert and our desert flowers are on the brisk of blooming. The two trees Tom planted are doing well and the grape vines are gourgeous and provide needed shade from the hot sun. The doves like it too, we have two nests already. We sat out yesterday while grilling for the 1st time in a long while. Hoping we have some desert wild flowers gracing our highways soon – we didn’t have much rain but those wild flowers are beautiful. Thanks for your Spring post.
LikeLike
Sounds cool in the desert, Barb. Thanks for reading and comment. Happy sitting out!
LikeLike
I admire your perfect apple blossoms.
They’re still sleeping here, only a tiny glow of forsythia show, and a carpet of candytuft. Too chilly to sit outside. In the meantime my garden is highway to a variety of cats. Some linger, my favourite is a Russian Blue.
LikeLike
Our neighbors back when we were growing up had a Russian Blue. It used to sit on the wall outside my bedroom window. Here, now, the cats come and go. Currently there’s a Big Red seeming to want to take over some of the local turf, an old Siamese that never comes closer than the back fence area, and a little tabby that doesn’t seem to have regular habits, and a few others that show up unexpectedly out front every now and then. There are raccoons around, quiet and slouching, but you have to be out at just the right time in the evening or early morning to see them. We used to see more possums. Coyote sitings reported lately. I’ve seen a couple. Once, out on the sidewalk, a giant peacock came walking up the block. There are rats. They say in the city you are never more than 50 feet from a rat. Occasionally we see one. Not sure what all causes them to surface when they do. Not the rats of E. B. White fantasy. Once we had a cat that caught a bat, brought the bat to the back door, proud catch. Birds – another story, sort of opposite cats. But today we have clear, blue skies. The water is steaming off the roof where there’s sun. So maybe the spring of the Spring Waltz post is behind us for a spell. The forsythia here is spent already, so you’ve a ways to go, it sounds like. All weather is local, and loco.
LikeLike
A delightful post !
LikeLike
Spring relighted this morning.
LikeLike