August has only just arrived, but I’m getting the faintest hint of spring in the air. The nights are still chilly, but the sun is sticking around longer and longer each day. Its rays now have that distinct warm weather glow about them, rather than that feeble almost pastel-like patina.
This year’s run of frosty mornings have taken their toll on our little garden and a few plants have fallen victim to the sub-zero temperatures. Others have embraced the cold and are almost ready to declare the arrival of the change in season…
The daffodil bulbs we planted back in May are getting so enticingly close to flowering. Every day for the last week or so, Adam and I have been on ‘daff watch’. We’ve got a run of days in the mid teens coming up, so we’re pretty confident those happy yellow flowers are going to burst into life then. It sounds really silly, but I keep on thinking the day the flowers open, something good is going to happen. Adam’s warned me against picking too many of flowers, in a bid to ensure the bulbs get a good start and continue to flower for year’s to come… but I know I won’t be able to help myself!
The trees in our front yard are also starting to develop tiny little buds, ready to sprout blossoms and tiny green leaves. We’ve noticed parrots nibbling away at seed pods in the still of the early morning and I’m really looking forward to seeing the branches full of leaves again. I love a carpet of crunchy, golden leaves in the autumn… but it’s been such a cold, dry winter, it’ll be nice to see some vibrancy in the countryside again.
Inside, the springtime blossoms have already started. A few weeks ago our friend Sophie gifted us a tiny pot of green stems, which have taken up residence on the kitchen windowsill. That greenery has erupted in a mass of grape hyacinths over the last fortnight or so and everyday it feels like a new flower emerges. It’s such a lovely treat to see how quickly the little plants are growing and I think before too long, we’ll have to invest in a bigger pot.
So here’s to that nervous anticipation of watching spring emerge.
Have a wonderful weekend. x
Wattle and Ash 