Weather permitting, spring (or fall) seems to be in the air as we say goodbye to the last full weekend in April.
I say weather-permitting because just last Sunday (Easter) we got a dusting of snow overnight. As we walked out of an early church service, I commented to my hubby that this was the coldest Easter I have EVER experienced. I blame that fact on most of my years of living in both Southern and Northern California, when, by mid-April, temperatures can get well into the 80s (Fahrenheit).
I wasn’t the only one: Anne of Horse Addict experienced quite the snow event herself! She did manage to share some pretty spring florals before the afternoon blizzard got the best of the blooms! The image below gives you an idea of what an unexpected mountain snowstorm can do to the unsuspecting flowers!
“It is deep winter with shivering cold air, but my heart is dancing with joy and spring flowers.” ― Debasish Mridha.
This week, despite the rain and unsettled weather — think sunny skies one minute, then hail the next, a normal spring pattern for Washington’s Inland Northwest — I managed to capture a few local florals. Today is expected to be 65 degrees(F)!
Our Backyard in April
In my own backyard and around my rural neighborhood, I enjoy walking my dogs and watching the spring unfold into a variety of wildflowers. Spring gets a slower start here since we live in an Alpine environment, compared to a mere 25 miles away in Spokane Valley where spring is farther ahead.
“When you smell a spring flower, it’s as if the soul of that flower settles inside you! And then you become that flower for a short time!”
― Mehmet Murat ildan
Soon, my backyard will be full of these wild sunflowers: arrowleaf balsamroot. They are popping up as volunteers all over and can be found amidst the pine trees along the highway.
My baby trees are showing the beginnings of blooms. This is quaking aspen. We also have red maples, ash, and willow that were planted last fall.
Daffodils planted by neighbors, as well as wild crocus are in bloom now. I don’t remember seeing the wild crocus during our first spring last year, so these are a treat.
Humorous Hubby
Put my husband in front of the camera and you never know what reaction you will get, especially around flowers. His cheeky grin tells me he loved the hydrangeas in Yosemite’s Ahwahnee Hotel. But when he put my bouquet on his head at our wedding reception, well…
The Gift of Flowers
My generous and lovely sister-in-law always has gifts for the ladies at her luncheons. Last year she gave me a pot of tulips. The same tulip bulbs are struggling but there is hope!
On Easter Sunday she gave floral gifts, this time, hydrangeas! I’m super excited because I miss mine that I rehomed before we moved here. These are all in the house next to a sunny window until these freezing night temps warm up!
At the Store
In search of more fabulous florals for this week’s challenge, I stopped at a home store and checked out the garden center.
What looked like fields of pansies caught my eye as well as this poppy anemone.
I also stopped to gawk at the blooming trees and captured this gorgeous cherry plum blossom.
I found this quote that seems to commemorate the onset of spring, by Scottish Poet James Thompson:
“Gather the rosebuds while ye may, old time is still a flying; And that same flower that blooms today, tomorrow shall be dying.”
I have hope and faith that flowers will continue to bloom just as vibrant and fragrant as ever.
Photo Challenges this Week
Each week I am inspired by my fellow bloggers’ photo challenges. I find it fun to incorporate these into my Sunday Stills weekly themes.
- Cee’s Flower of the Day
- Dawn’s Spring Festival
- Johnbo’s CellPic Sunday
- Jo’s Monday Walk
- Lens-Artists: Humor
- Marsha’s Writers Quotes Wednesday: Hope and Faith
Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Reminders
Sunday Stills weekly challenge is easy to join. You have all week to share and link your post to this one.
- Remember to title your blog post a little differently than mine.
- Please create a new post for the theme or link a recent one.
- Entries for this theme can be posted all week.
- Tag your post “Sunday Stills.”
- Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post.
- I also recommend adding your post’s URL into the comments.
May themes are published on my Sunday Stills page.
This Week’s Featured Bloggers
Sunday Stills is a wonderful community of bloggers and photographers who desire to connect with one another. Below are this week’s links from bloggers who shared their fabulous florals. I edit these all week as new links are added.
- YOUR NAME HERE
- Always Write
- Between the Lines
- Bushboys World
- Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
- Calling All Rush Babes
- Cee’s Photo Challenges
- The Day After
- Deb’s World
- Easin’ Along Image shared in comments
- Equipoise Life
- Frost on the Moose Dung
- Graham’s Island
- Horse Addict
- Hugh’s Views and News Image shared in comments
- Idaho Bluebird
- Jacquie Biggar, Author
- Jodie’s Touch of Style: how to rock floral fashion
- Kamerapromenader
- Light Words
- Loving Life
- Musin’ With Susan
- Natalie the Explorer
- Now At Home
- NEW Peaceful at Dawn
- Philosophy Through Photography
- Retirement Reflections Image shared on Instagram
- NEW Riddle Me This
- NEW The Squirrel Chase
- Stevie Turner
- Travel with Me
- Wide-Eyed Wonderings
- Wind Kisses
- Woolly Muses
- The World is a Book
- Working on Exploring
- Xingfu Mama
I am excited to see all your fabulous florals this week! As Robin Williams said, “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party’!” Join me next week as we explore the theme “Emerging.”
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