And Winter slumbering in the open air,
Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring!
Samuel Taylor Coleridge

My dears,

I cannot let this gloomy day pass without telling you about yesterday.

It all started the night before, - towards midnight, when the little dog and I went out to attend to his business, we stepped outside into a nippy evening. The clouds had lifted, - only a few wisps clung to the mountaintops, and in the dark bowl above the stars were cold and brilliant.

I lingered a few moments, looking for the winter constellations, and dared to dream 'sunshine in the morning!'

Yes, yes, yes!!! The morning dawned with nary a cloud in the sky.

Slowly the blue of the sky deepened, - the snow along the ridges glistened, and the faintest hint of spring came tickling Old Man Winter's fancy, just for a few golden hours. The branches of the neighbour's peach trees took on an orangey glow as the sap responded to the sunshine.



The morning grass was frosted and white, but as the day wore on there were bright green patches, speaking of earthworms stirring underneath.





All day the blue sky continued to delight the winter-weary.



And there were SHADOWS - imagine, shadows....... Here is the red rose climber that was so badly injured last winter, reflecting itself against the wall.



I poked around in the Hellebores and found lovely crimson stubs, pushing their way through the rain soaked ground.

Towards sunset a few clouds began to gather, and when we woke this morning the mist was back and it was raining.



But yesterday lives on in my Journal of Gratitude.

I hope that where you are a little peek at spring comes to lift your spirits.

Hildred