A haze of fresh greens in the woods behind the house…
Fallen blossoms, stream-side at a Japanese garden…
The tight curl of last season’s fern frond in the sunlight…
The elegant spears of a tiny blue flower at a native plant nursery…
Morning dew on the grasses at water’s edge…
A Lady fern unfurling across a weathered fence…
Willow and Cottonwood springing to life in a wetland park…
The softness of a willow catkin…
And the final petal of a Magnolia blossom, ready to fall…
Spring evolves so quickly – birds silent all winter already are singing incessantly, the cherry blossoms are almost gone now, the lilacs are in bud, and soon peonies and irises will startle us with their beauty. One aspect of the Pacific northwest climate I’ve come to appreciate is the long, cool Spring. On the east coast the weather warms up fast and steals Spring right out from under you.
But even with cool temperatures extending the bloom time here, it still rushes by too quickly. I get neurotic about not taking it all in, not “having time” (as if time was something I could have!) to experience it with all my senses. I roam ceaselessly – a Japanese garden, a native plant nursery, a nearby island, local parks – and take photos along the way. I rush too much. The photos disappoint.
But… what matters is that Spring carries itself forward with no help from me, it takes me along, and I do so love it.
bluebrightly 
Great series of shots ~ the blue flower spears shot was incredible. Cheers to a great and peaceful week ~
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What IS that little blue flower – I tried to find out but I couldn’t. It was up at the Kruckenburg Garden in Shoreline. Cheers to you as well!
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Strange isn’t it what makes us neurotic and wanting to get it all in but Lyn you always seem to take the beauty of time and preserve it so well in your beautiful shots.
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Very neurotic, very unenlightened. But I try, and your words are appreciated.
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I so enjoyed your lovely Spring gallery, and the narration too. The last petal of the Magnolia is definitely something you would be anxious not to miss. 🙂
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I love seeing one last petal, just indescribable, what it evokes. Thanks for your thoughts!
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There’s much to love in this season. I dread the warmer days of summer somehow, so try to cling to this loveliest season as long as I can.
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…the loveliest season…I agree!
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It sounds like you struggle with the same thing I do in spring. But your photos deliver! Oh, I really like the one of the blossoms near the waterfall. Beautiful, all of them. Thank you for sharing!
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I suspect there are quite a few of us struggling with this but we forget to mention it. Thanks for your thoughts!
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The essence of Spring is distilled right here in your photos Lynn. I certainly don’t have the impression you rushed these 🙂 Love the curled fern creeping up and over the fence … and soft catkin or Lambs tails .. thinking about that there are plenty of those to be seen in the fields bouncy spring lambs !
You’re so right , each day something else unfolds or is just over and the moment has passed . A little corner of common land near me is a marker as to how far along we are in the season cowslips now … shortly it’ll be yellow rattle followed by knapweed onto to Summer …
Lovely collection x
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That fern frond was lovely, thanks for noticing. I did take a little time with that one, but too often feel I’m almost running from shot to shot! I love the English wildflower names you mention. Many of them have of course emigrated along with your countrymen, over the years. Knapweed, yes, and cowslips. Yellow rattle?? Love it, never heard of that one.
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Lovely collection, essence of Spring….I agree with Poppy’s sentiments re you not seeming to have rushed…. 😀
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THanks Sue, I hope I can see more essence of Spring before essence of Summer arrives! 😉
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Well…the photos didn’t disappoint me! I know what you mean, though. I’ll come back from a hike on which I made 200-300 photos and find only a couple of dozen that I consider “worthy.” I enjoy what you brought to us, though….and understand completely your wanting to be out there capturing it all. How wonderful that the first image is from your backyard, if that’s what you literally meant…what a backyard!
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I’m enjoying your desert photos, Scott. The “backyard” is literally from the deck, into a small but lush patch of forest that surrounds the building on two sides. It’s very, very green! But traffic noise intrudes…you can’t have it all!
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I think it would still be a treasure. Your description reminds me of one of my favorite trails in Utah, Little Cottonwood Canyon. The trail ran along the south side of the stream and the road into and through the canyon was on the north side of it…so while there was so much splendor to actually view, the vehicle noise was a little intrusive sometimes. You’re probably right…we can’t have it all!!
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I was going to comment on the Japanese garden photo, but then I was taken by the next, and the next. Lovely series, and if these disappoint you, I know it’s only because of the abundance of aching beauty you also would have liked to capture at this time of year. It is indeed hard to take it all in, but I just cherish every moment I can, as well.
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Sweet comment, thank you. You’re right, there is too, too much! Saw a fabulous rainbow last night, with what seemed like extra colors, and a double one above. This is such a wonderful place to live.
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These are super Lynn.. You have a gift for taking the viewer into the natural environment you are photographing and sharing your own passion for nature.
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Thank you Louis, for being in my corner! Happy Spring!
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I do understand this feeling of the time rushing by… sometimes we have to focus on less in order to appreciate it more.
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Exactly! Nice to hear from you, Shimon. It gets harder and harder to reduce the field of focus in this world, doesn’t it? I hope you are well and enjoying Spring.
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Such lovely words and pictures Lynn and I can relate so well to your sentiments! Trying to have it all sometimes and we never can.. so reminiscent of my recent travels. With limited time we want to see so much but how much do we miss rushing on to the next.. it’s a difficult equation to balance I feel. 🙂
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I bet you can relate! 🙂 Nice to hear I’m not alone – well, I know that, but nice to hear nevertheless. Here’s to the unbalanced world and our valiant efforts to keep all the balls in the air equally!
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Stunning pictures about the abundance of forms, shapes and lines in nature. #3 is my favorite.
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Yes! # 3 was a compelling sight and I was pleased with the image when I got home. Great to hear from you!
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Beautiful pictures. I love all your close-ups, fascinating. And you’re right, spring goes by so fast, we have to catch the moment. Every moment. Thanks for sharing and inspiring.
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Thank you so much for commenting. I do love to peer into things closely, and even since your comment, there has been so much change and growth here.
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Some of the photos (the ferns and the blue flowers) made me think that if Nature wasn’t so busy with gardening, she would be an excellent jewellery maker. Or hang on, perhaps the flowers ARE her jewellery? Yes, that must be it, now I get it. Thanks for always pointing to the beauty and wonder that we so easily just miss!
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