Spring is springing. Life is pumping back up from the roots of the plants to create new growth and the first blossoms of the year have replaced the gray and white of winter with a rainbow of colours.
Spring is my favourite season. It signals that you are over the worst of the cold and dark mornings, the high heating bills and that no matter what bad things are going on in your life there are brighter days ahead.
I am sad to say that these last few years it came and went with little notice from me because of family illness and death. March of the last few years has seen the passing of my brother and mother so it is not a month I was getting along too well with. My father also died in March 2016.
To be honest, these last few years every season has been marred with a tragedy, In total I have lost four members of my family in the last three years and we also found out my wonderful wife is very sick. I normally don't bring my tragedies to my blog but want to add context as to why I have not been able to appreciate the life cycle of the natural world around me.
But, I am starting to realise now that if you don't take the time to enjoy the cycles of nature I am missing out on the healing power it can bring.
These last few weeks in Ireland we have seen growth starting to come back. Buds of life are starting to appear. Two twigs I planted of an apple and plum tree showed me that they are taking to my garden and settling. Life soldiers on.
Even the old apple tree which I butchered with pruning to whip it into some sort of shape has started to sprout new growth. Sometimes you need to go back before you go forward.
The tree which we planted as a family on the first day of the millennium pulled through the winter even though a storm took one of its big branches last year. It's going to be alright.
New growth is appearing everywhere. And it is nice to take the time to enjoy it, as soon the war for light and water will begin.
I am learning that the garden is like a family with each plant doing it's own thing but all having to work together to keep the whole thing together. Sometimes one character will try to be overbearing and needs to be brought back a bit while it sleeps during the winter.
It is wonderful to see the new children growing from knarled and weather-beaten branches.
Some trees are already in full bloom like the dwarf magnolia which never seems to get any bigger but is the first to show life after the long winter.
With all of the sadness in my life these last few years it is great to be out in the garden and be inspired to see that life goes on, no matter what. Although there are still many dark clouds it is good to just enjoy these little moments and know that there will be others in the future. There just has to be.