Rain-Soaked Greenlake Shows Signs of Spring to Revive the Spirit

I've never been so grateful to see the sun as I was yesterday afternoon; I literally ran to put on my sneakers and get to Greenlake for a walk with Bridget before the deluge set in again. On these last soggy days of winter, with increasingly devastating news from Japan, even an hour of sunlight felt like a blessing.

Spring arrives in the northern hemisphere this coming Sunday, when the sun crosses the celestial equator and for a brief moment day and night are of equal length. We've been reminded how connected we all are by the destruction and humanitarian disaster in Japan, let alone radiation released from its nuclear plants drifting our way. In times of grief and worry, nature's ancient rhythm of day and night being in balance all over the world is comforting.

As were the crocus, daffodils and ducks at Greenlake today. It's too chilly for the turtles to be out, but ducks wallowed in the new rain pond engulfing the golf greens, a heron meditated on the watery shores. The trees are still bare, but flowers are opening to remind us spring is nearly here...

On the cusp of spring, this still heron looks as if he might be contemplating warmer days to come...

Happy ducks paddle around on the golf course at the north end of the lake.

And yet...daffodils are opening and the crocus are in full and beautiful purple bloom in the soggy grass.

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Christina Wilsdon]

Thanks for posting this. It HAS been nice to see some signs of spring popping up. I drove by Greenlake the other day and on the east side of it, I had to stop to let a mallard drake cross the road. Why did the duck cross the road? One wonders. To the west lay Green Lake in all its ducky glory, plus a few huge puddles, PLUS it was pouring down buckets...and here is this duck, singlemindedly risking its life to cross the street. Maybe ducks dare each other to do risky things.

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[true religion jeans]

Spring arrives in the northern hemisphere this coming Sunday, when the sun crosses the celestial equator and for a brief moment day and night are of equal length. We've been reminded how connected we all are by the destruction and humanitarian disaster in Japan, let alone radiation released from its nuclear plants drifting our way. In times of grief and worry, nature's ancient rhythm of day and night being in balance all over the world is comforting.

[mill pond golf course]

It is nice to hear that there are signs of spring in the midst of this rainy weather. Just like in life, those daffodils blooming in spite of the gloomy rainy weather symbolizes hope.