Around the middle of July, when the sidewalks sizzle and the sun scorches, I begin to fantasize about winter. Ah, the crisp, cold air! The pretty swirling snowflakes! The hot chocolate and baths and cozy evening fires!
It takes exactly one snowfall before my naiveté dissolves and memories of past winters rush in. From that moment on, I long for spring to come again.
In our area, hints of the changing seasons can appear as early as late January: bickering birds, a breeze whose arctic bite is more of a nibble, and — my favorite — the unfolding of flowers. This year the flowers held out on us, popping up well into February. Finally, a week ago the delicate creations below poked through our dry, winter-brown grass and opened up to the sun. While we’re not ready to break out the shorts and sandals, I’m already helping winter pack its bags and hinting that it should hit the road before rush hour clogs the interstate.
In the meantime, I’ve decided to enjoy whatever springly attributes this month has brought. And so on Saturday morning, the first bright, clear day since the crocuses’ appearance, I carted my camera and my new tripod (the latter courtesy of my brother and sis-in-law) into the yard and let loose. Recorded now for posterity – or at least the extent of this digital age – are this year’s first flowers. Click on the photos for larger renditions in more detail. Trust me; they look much better that way. ((If you like these, check out my photoblog, Playing with Pixels, at http://www.caryncaldwell.com/photos!))
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About Me
I am the stay-at-home mother to a toddler nicknamed Sunshine. During nap times I write books, blog, and play around with the photos I've taken. I live in the southwestern U.S. with my husband, daughter, and two cats. My books are represented by Erzsi Deàk of Hen & Ink Literary Studio.
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These are glorious!!
Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful, Caryn! I love crocuses (croci?)
These photos are gorgeous! love!
xox
Those are just lovely! I cannot wait until the crocus’s bloom in my yard. I’ve got two more months to go. D=
Oh, so very, very pretty. Thanks for sharing!
I am so very, very envious. Although I DO have daffodils that are about 3 days away from blooming…The crocuses (crocii?) are beautiful. …and dependable.
Caryn, it’ll be another month before any crocus break dirt, but thanks for the preview of what’s to come. I can’t wait!
i must be the only person in the world who doesn’t know how to work her digital camera. there’s like 10, 000 settings and i use like, two. sigh. great pictures though!
Gorgeous photos – and it’s beginning to look like springtime! Not here where I live, of course, but these pictures are fantastic. Bringing spring-y thoughts my way.
Ours aren’t up yet, thank you for sharing yours!
Pretty! We just had a ice storm yesterday, and we’re supposed to get some more snow this weekend… Fun!
Gorgeous pictures, Caryn! I hope you’ll post more.
Absolutely loverly! With the snow we got this year, we’re six weeks or more away from even seeing brown grass, never mind anything poking through it. Thanks for sharing!
What gorgeous photos! Thanks for the reminder that spring is on its way.
Love these- great shots.
Beautiful photos, as always!
I don’t always comment on your photo blog, because I feel redundant saying “beautiful photo” all the time.
These photos are so lovely, Caryn, and–as you said–even more beautiful close up.
Hope you’re having a relaxing weekend!
Very cool pics
It never snows here and sometimes I find myself wishing it did. We don’t actually have a winter. It gets cold a couple days in February, then poof, it’s humid and sunny again 
Gorgeous!
These are lovely. Did you know that last year I completely missed mine? (Or else they’re gone…) Thanks for the reminder! I’ll have to do a daily survey.
Beautiful, Caryn!
Wow! Fab pics.
My dogs eat mine as soon as they appear! Bad doggies!
Beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing..
Absolutely lovely, as usual! One of these years, I’m going to get my act together and plant some bulbs, so I can enjoy blooms like these on beautifully chilly February days.
You’re lucky you can see the ground. Mine is still buried under a couple feet of snow. Brrrr.
Gorgeous images… signalling the approach of Spring!
Love it! I’m feelin’ spring.
Those are beautiful. I’m jealous. I have another few months to wait before I start seeing some real spring-like weather. Well, one month anyway.
As someone who is under a foot of snow currently, I’m just wishing the temps would get above freezing! It’s hard to believe that there is a place where there are actual crocuses!!!
Thank you, though, for your beautiful photos…and the reminder that these are coming for us, too!