Sunshine and Flowers

Our exceptionally warm temperatures for the season

and daily sunshine have brought us spring flowers

like these Crocus

Snowdrops

and Winter Jasmine

The full moon got me out walking to capture a lovely sunset.

It shone brightly in my neighbourhood

A day's outing by the lake in the town of Morges.

The mountains were misty, but the water reflected the beautiful blue of the sky.

Other people were out enjoying the lovely weather.

Another day I took a boat over the lake to the town of Evian for the day.

I was amazed and thrilled to see the first cherry blossom of the year.

It is very early, but luckily this is ornamental cherry.

The fruit bearing trees need to remain in hibernation a while longer.

Leaving the French town of Evian and surrounding mountains

to return to the Swiss side of the lake where I live.

I have been enjoying spring flowers in pots for a few weeks now.

Like these orange primroses and ivy leaves.

Spring crochet is getting ready to decorate my home with fresh colours

and a new tiny owl scissor fob was made over the weekend.

I found the lovely pattern here:

Anabelia craft design

Awakening

With these warmer and longer days, Nature awakens from her winter's sleep.

That's what I love about the seasons, there is always something new to enjoy.

Snowdrops are one of the first flowers to appear,

real harbingers of spring getting ready underneath the nurturing soil.

Wild anemone emerging from the depths of last year's fallen leaves.

Primroses are also early spring flowers. I found these growing out of a very tiny crack in a wall.

I love it when plants find a place to grow when there is seemingly no visible earth.

Sweet violets that I remember picking as a child and putting them into the smallest

thimble-sized vases!

Last year's fern has developed new green leaves, perfect for yet another crack in a wall.

Crocus are just everywhere. I saw these in the park.

Many little pale purple heads hiding an astonishing orange centre.

The buds are positively swelling and some young leaves are bursting forth

It's a little early for blossom still, but these were growing in a sunny spot.

At last!

The golden daffodil

just starting to open down in the park.

Crossing the foot bridge near me at the start of one of my outings, 

this beautiful Siamese cat. He was sitting on a pile of branches looking up at the people

passing on the bridge.

Among all these colourful and cheerful spring blooms,

 I noticed these dried hydrangea flowers and thought how beautiful they looked

against the pale blue sky.

***

A few words on awakening:

"Since ancient times, the term awakening has been used as a kind of metaphor

that points to the transformation of human consciousness,

The word Buddha comes from the Sanskrit word Budh,

meaning 'to be awake'.

So Buddha is not a name and ultimately not a person,

but a state of consciousness"

words by Eckhart Tolle