Lately, we’ve had a few unusually mild days here in New York, heightening the expectation of spring. I checked the garden to see if the crocuses were coming up, and sure enough I found a few slender green shoots.
But today there’s a bite in the wind, and a few small patches of snow still linger here and there. March, even April, can bring cold weather and snow, and it could be several weeks before we have any real blooms.
Though I actually love this changeable time of year, winter one day, spring the next, those few days of spring-like weather set up a craving for flowers. So today, I headed to the florist for an infusion of color and scent.
And there I found an array of bright pink roses, purple orchids, bursts of yellow and orange, and the heavenly scent of freesias. But giving the most delight, to me, were the small mixed bouquets in glass jars, arranged on a silver tray.
There are many ways to usher in spring. In my book, The Garden House, a young woman surrounds herself with drawings of flowers so that even in the heart of winter she is surrounded by blooms. Today, I was grateful for the NYC florists who keep spring alive all year long.
All it takes is a few mild days this time of year to germinate our longing for spring. So though today the wind is cold, I know that blossom time is not far away.
“O Wind, If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?” – Percy Bysshe Shelley
Linda Mahkovec - Author 