Hope Comes Via Sharon Elphick
There is so much beauty in winter. As I look out of my window at delicate glass trees, iced branches sparkling in the sunlight, I sense that only I am bothered by a cold day. The trees seem to be basking in the sun, tiny droplets flowing down ridged bark, birds bouncing from branch to branch, seemingly happy. The pond in my backyard sits frozen, but the large blue heron perched on a nearby stump doesn't seem to mind as he cleans his feathers (and after watching him skate across the pond unable to make a proper landing, you'd think he'd be blushing). Nature is happy, things are still 'business as usual' outdoors, yet so many of us are wishing for Spring, complaining, booking early vacations to the islands.
Seeing the Hanami print from Sharon Elphick today gave me a gentle nudge, "Spring is coming, hang in there". A glimmer of hope that come March, feelings of being trapped and frozen to the bone will dissipate in the warm sunshine. All will be introduced to budding trees, longer days, and pudgy bumblebees collection pollen. Until then... We wait and try not to notice, just as the heron. Just as the trees. Just as nature.
(image from sharon elphick)