Thursday, April 14, 2011

I 'heart' spring...

Don't you just hate that phrase? Not the 'spring' bit but the 'heart'. Look a bit harder in your wingdings and dingbats and use the heart as it was meant to be used for heaven's sake:
For this we need to thank graphic designer Milton Glaser whose 1977 design - part of a campaign promoting New York State. It's a simple pictogram now familiar the world over and all too frequently bastardised. Sigh.

Anyway....I've digressed before even starting.

I SPRING

That's better is it not?
 
The spring thing is fantastic - in the course of a week leaves have uncurled and early blossom unfolded frothily.  In the early morning before the world has woken and all is fresh and clean, I feel quite euphoric. My excitement is tangible and I want to be out there on the hill, filling my lungs with the clear damp air, surrounded by birdsong and green shoots. I can't think of a better place to be.

Birdies are nesting - some in less sensible places than others.  This one is at waist height and clearly visible - a beautiful piece of work by Mr and Mrs Blackbird.

It's impossible to get a good picture of this little plum tree and its heart-like shape - too many distractions in the background. I hope we don't get any serious frosts because with blossom like this we could have a bumper harvest later in the year - and frost will, as they say literally nip that in the bud.


No swallows have yet been sighted in the small mountain kingdom of Trelystan.

9 comments:

Pondside said...

The tree is very pretty - and definitely a heart.
Thought of you today as I drove around Wolfe Island, home of an incredible windmill farm.

Frances said...

Even our concrete covered New York City seems to have suddenly sprung into true spring time bloom today. Think frost might be a memory.

Your plum tree's heart is clear to my eye. Thank you for that tribute to the very talented Milton Glaser, too.

xo

hand-knitted muesli said...

Hey how cute and what a lovely looking tree, did you prune it that way?
Anyways why don't you cover it over at night, it's what we used to do in our 'frost pocket' area in NZ when we had young trees to protect.

Cro Magnon said...

We dread frost at this time of year. All our fruit is now 'setting', and if left un-nipped will provide another great harvest.

Bluestocking Mum said...

That's really funny F because I hate that expression too! It was ok for I HEART NY but after that, I think it rather lost it's appeal.
I seem to recall some majoy copyright fights about it too as it's a massive money spinner.

On a more civilised note, the tree is very pretty.

xx

Fennie said...

A bit like one no trump, or words to that effect. Cracking blossom on the plum. Ours has blossomed and faded already. Last year we had a very heavy crop. But we are past frosts, aren't we? Anyhow I have put the geraniums out. Trelystan must be higher and further north though.

snailbeachshepherdess said...

PAST FROSTS - methinks Fennie is having a larf - we have had frost well into may and we NEVER put bedding plants out until 1 June EVER!! Hope the little plum tree manages to stay frost free

Diary Farmer said...

Spring by far the best time of year.Lambs running around the fields, new born calves with their mums and so much blossom . Our cherry trees was a disappointment tho', it came and went in just over a week!

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

Lovely photos. The nest is a work of real beauty. I love spring too. I just want to be outside in it all day long.