springtime

It is spring, it is spring! I almost wanted to skip my way down the street, but I refrained. Afterall, the sun wasn't exactly shining from a blue sky, so it was not a perfect spring day. But it was in the mid teens temperature-wise. And warm enough to drink your drinks outside on a patio. [16C = 61F]

I actually started this post two days ago when it wasn't even officially spring, but now it is and it is getting colder with flurries in the forecast. Such is March.

March can be a cruel month. It can venture back and forth from winter to spring to winter to almost summer. It is mostly dreary and bland and grey with not much in the way of colour, like say a brilliant blue sky with puffy white clouds, or green, green grass. Or even bright yellow daffodils. All that is still to come.

And if you head out to one of the many garden shows that pop up at this time of year, you can certainly dream of spring. (and, if are fortunate enough to have a garden, you can plot and plan...)

So off I went to the Canada Blooms. Many others are called '- Home and Garden' and that would certainly fit for this, the biggest garden show in the country. A teeny part of me has been disappointed over the last couple of years of its 15 year run as it moves more and more into the 'home' than the 'garden'. The marketplace is certainly half the floor space and many of the gardens are corporate sponsored by landscaping and patio stone companies and feature far too much of the outdoor living space rather than an beautifully landscaped flowers and trees. But there were certainly no shortage of benches and loungers and cushioned chairs to sit in. And the sight of all those hundreds of tulips, azaleas, daffodils, the sweet scent of the hyacinths and the endless greenery is so cheering and delightful.

There were floral displays from local flower shops that looked more like art installations and table settings that were so perfect they would look messy once the food was served. The Ikebana is always wonderful to see and I rather like the miniature displays. The mosaic competition was interesting, all seeds and petals and twigs and leaves. But the most fun spot was the natural playground. The little kids had a ball playing in the massive sand pit or climbing the rocks and trees and playing on the all natural jungle gym. There were projects for them to identify leaves and to make seed balls.

The only thing missing were the songbirds. But, yesterday I saw at least four robins and am hearing more singing and happy chirping in the mornings.

Happy Spring, everyone!