The First Day of Spring

Today is the first day of spring! Even though winter hasn't departed completely, I can tell we're on the downhill slide to nicer weather. It's been a long time coming this year.

Thinking of spring, however, makes me remember spring a year ago. I experienced one of the most beautiful springs ever in France. The pictures I've posted here are from Provence. Isn't the wisteria simply breath-taking? And it was everywhere, hanging in huge purple clusters from long sinewy branches that clung tenaciously to the most hardened surfaces....over doorways, along stone walls, draped over shutters. It was hard to believe the little trees these branches came from could support such luscious beauty.


This is another of my favorite pictures from the trip. I 'doctored' the edges a bit on my computer to make it look more interesting, but the image itself is exactly true to life. The wisteria was so picturesque framing the red screen door! I wish I could remember the name of the little village where I took this shot; all I remember is it was north of Goult. Outside this village there were large fields of rapeseed in bloom, a solid blanket of yellow. Almond and cherry trees were in flower; red poppies dotted every field.

Paris was equally lovely. Watch for tomorrow's blog entry that is illustrated by a photo I took of the south facade of the Notre Dame cathedral set off by flowering trees. Tres jolie!

After a winter of the most miserable weather and a really bad case of cabin fever, can you blame me for agreeing wholeheartedly with Emily Dickinson:"A little Madness in the Spring / Is wholesome even for the King?"