Spring-time never ceases to fascinate me with the first sightings of new life in the garden. This past brutal winter in particular, left me doubting whether or not many of my plants and flowers had survived the cruel force of the elements which pummeled them endlessly.
The relentless winds and weighted ice lay stubbornly on the branches, bending and snapping some off in its fury. I recall layering myself up on more than one occasion and going out into the three feet of snow in my backyard to correct the weighted branches in an effort to save my plants. I reinforced their structure with metal stands to try to re-align their spines in hopes of seeing them flourish once again.
Inspecting my garden every year in the advent of spring, always stirs my curiosity. While I search in detail for sprouting of buds and a hint of green, it never fails to delight.
Tomorrow is May 1st. “Really?” I question. The temperature today is still in the mid forties. The trees are blowing and the sky remains grey with intermittent, violent rain. If I had no calendar to know what month it is, I would have to say it feels like the end of Fall, November. Preparing for winter. I haven’t stopped turning on my fireplace since last October. It has been seven long months of winter here.
So many people have endured a most brutal winter in many parts of the world. Many of those people have been gifted with arrival of Spring by now. Earlier in April, we had to fluke days when our temperatures went up to the high sixties, leaving a false hope for many and my plants. After each of those days passed, the temperatures dropped right back down to the forties and the odd time reached in the low fifty degrees mark.
I always worry about my plants being fooled by the false starts of the arrival of Spring. Some plants come out of their winter sleep being duped into believing it was safe for them to come out, only to be hit with continued cold temperatures. Then I begin to wonder how many plants I will have to replace, yet again, when winter’s shenanigans have stopped playing tricks.
As I look out my window, I am inspired to see one of my shrubs growing tiny, green buds. The last section of snow in my backyard has surprisingly melted and although it feels nothing like Spring, I feel optimistic that somehow, my garden has endured the wrath of winter and will eventually bloom once again, with new life.
DGKaye©2014
DGKayewriter.com 
After that cold winter over there, I hope that spring brings you flowers and renewal feelings… I enjoyed the way you described the signs in the advent of spring whilst you search ‘for sprouting of buds and a hint of green’.
That was hopeful and poetic DG…
Thanks for sharing. It is a pleasure to read your posts, as always.
Best spring’s wishes,
Aquileana 🙂
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Thanks for reading Aq. Your praise on my poetry is always a gift! 🙂
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Thank you for your post; it is very good. Please have a blessed day.
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I like your optimistic ending to the post — and I’m sending sunshine your way 🙂
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Thanks Christy, as today is now May 1st and the grey, windy sky is once again a repeat of yesterday. 😦 xo
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I scrolled down only to expect a hundred likes! This was awesome.
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Lol, you’re so cute! I hope you also got my 3 replies! xo 🙂
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Glad to hear something about Toronto other than Rob Ford 🙂 and that spring is here!
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LOL! 🙂
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it’s been a kind of Steinbeck’s “winter of our discontent”… 🙂 have a warm and a pleasant May, Miss Debby! ❤ friendly thoughts, Mélanie
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Thanks so much Mel, wishing you the same. 🙂
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Greetings from Brisbane, where temperatures have plummeted to 17C/62F overnight, now that autumn is upon us. 😉 😀
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p.s. gorgeous photos, Debby
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🙂
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Lol Belinda, you do make me laugh. Your plummeting fall temps would be a welcome temperature here. I don’t imagine your winter will even tip ours. 🙂 Thanks for visiting. 🙂
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What beautiful photos – even the ones of winter. Spring is really full of hope. I also look out my window and see tiny lime green leaves and the sun manages to shine a few rays through some thin clouds. Two orange crocuses have sprung up and bring a smile to my face. Winter boots are no longer necessary and heavy winter jackets put away. Thanks for this uplift, Deb. 🙂
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Thanks for yours Carol! It’s been a long time coming. I promise not to complain about heat again. 🙂
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It is funny though I bet on a really hot day we might forget our promises. We are in the middle of a huge drought and everyone has been praying for rain. One lake near us is totally dried up and the one we live on is so low we have to go outside of our regular launching area inside our community to now pay to launch and after a few days of rain everyone was complaining a little. But most would catch themselves and say that they weren’t complaining. But they were. Lol. Write more or I’ll just have to keep commenting on this lol.
I am going to have to go make sure I found the comments you were talking about. Did I respond back? Argh lol. If I really were Keri’s age I’m sure I’d be sharper here. At least in navigating around.
It should be a piece of cake for you when you get ready to publish this next book since you have done it already.
love the pics♡
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Lol Di, you make me laugh. Thanks for your always insightful info. This comment was weird though, it came from Keri, but it says it is in response to Carol. Ok, now am I crazy or is it just wordpress? You know wordpress and I have an ongoing ‘unlove’ affair. 🙂
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I’ve notice some budding of bushes and trees. Yay. Hope the temperature rises soon. The daffodils and tulips are keeping company. Soon the rest will come. 🙂
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Yes, I’ve just sighted some sprouting buds yesterday. Those are the warrior plants who survived the brutal thrashing of our winter. Could it be possible it may be spring this weekend? 🙂
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I’ve heard rumours… 🙂
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🙂
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~(*_*)~~
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Snow can be so beautiful, but when it is wet and heavy it can do a lot of damage. We had snow yesterday. I guess Calgary was a winter wonderland once again yesterday or the day before. Guess what? That means we usually get what Calgary had. When I was speaking to my daughter outdoors, we could see our breath. May 6th! We usually plant our gardens around May 15th.
Thanks for visiting my last couple of posts. Best wishes with your new book.
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Thanks Drew, my pleasure! So where do you live that you get Calgary’s leftovers? We too should have lost our jackets a month ago, I still have the fireplace on as we speak!
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Near Winnipeg, Manitoba. The season won’t be long enough to grow veggies. And crops. Hopefully things pick up real soon. Have you met Linda Holeman? Author of several novels.
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Wow Drew, ya, you guys had a rough winter too. It is only turning spring here these past few days, I’m not sure yet how much of my garden got murdered. No, I’ve never hard of Linda?
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You need to look her up. I met her in Winnipeg at a writer’s convention at The Forks. I read only one of her books, The Linnet Bird. She has written six more novels, I believe. Awesome writer and wonderful lady.
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Thanks for the tip Drew, I will be sure to. 🙂
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Deb, there is hope even in Canada. I hope it warmed up there as it did here this week. I even planted a few things last night. I’m figuring out what I can not plant this year. Decided to let go of onions and snow peas. Peas were easy because they should have been planted April 1 when we still had snow. Yes to green buds.
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Yes to green buds Elaine! Yes, finally I think it’s here to stay, we’ve been in the high 60’s these past two days, yay!Still checking around to see who survived and who didn’t of the thrashing of my garden — but many buds have been sighted. 🙂 Thankful for small mercies.
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I’ve always wanted to see ‘snow’. I have experienced winter in Auckland though, but they don’t experience snow anymore. Breaks my heart every time people express their dislike for winter…hehe. Love the last part of this post, Ms Deb. It’s what’s keeping us going. 🙂
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Lol, Mock … BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR! 🙂
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