Spring Suddenness

I am always amazed at the suddenness of spring. You wait for months, amidst beautiful snow covered days, and not so lovely icy driving conditions, for spring. The trees stand there, doing tree things, sleeping I think in the winter. Using their roots to seek for deep warmth and sources of food, and reaching up to the sun for any vestiges of heat. Then it happens, the snow melts away, the ground warms up and you wait. When will the leaves come? When will the first blooms appear? One night it is all dingy green and then the next morning, daffodil stems are showing up. Buds start forming on trees. Then, again in a sudden fashion, the leaves are starting to show up.

I love the suddenness of spring, though I do think of sitting up some time with a light and watching the changes happen. You know, sitting out with a flashlight and a lawn chair, a blanket and some snacks – snacks are a must. Sitting there, blanket wrapped, and flashlight in hand, I wonder if I could see that moment happen, when the leaf appears. That moment when the tree determines it’s time to have leaves for the new spring.