Spring Came This Year
early in February—this year
the purple crocuses
yawned and showed us golden teeth,
this year,
the daffodils joined them in unexpected yellow
against the bluest sky, and
ignored Winter’s frost-breath. A last gasp? Uncertain,
we watch the feathered-clouds fly
this year, any year.
A quadrille for dVerse. The prompt word is gasp.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
What a beautiful last gasp that sounds 🙂
Thank you!
I heard there could be a little bit of snow in the Poconos (the mountains north of Philadelphia), but we’ll just get rain tonight.
I hope it’s over and you just get the glorious spring colours.
Thank you very much!
I hope spring sticks around for a while.
So do I. It’s usually too short. We should finally get some proper rain from tomorrow. It might not be so cold either.
But it’s not Thursday. 🙂
I hope you do get rain and a long, beautiful spring.
No! That’s why I believe it 🙂
😂
We had a brief shower at lunchtime. Oh, well.
I guess that’s not enough to do anything.
No, just damped the grass a bit. It was supposed to rain today too. We’re still waiting, 5.15pm and clear sky. It’s warm too. Warmer outdoors than in with the stove going!
Maybe it will be Thursday this week! 🙂
It’s sunny here, but it’s been very windy the last couple of days.
Maybe. It’s got so warm again. Even at 10pm it was warmer outside than in here.
Wow! We’re back to a bit cooler weather–30s at night and not quite 50 during the day. It’s still nice–when the wind isn’t blowing!
I’ve just come in from finishing pruning the vine. 2.30pm and 70°F in the shade of the porch! The rain we’re supposed to be having hasn’t shown up. Upgraded to storms now. We’ll see. Oh, and I found the daffodils. Surrounded by potholes but by a miracle the pigs haven’t uprooted them.
Wow–we’re not quite up to 50 F. There’s bright sunshine, but it’s windy. I’m trying to get work done, and weird things like we had to get a tax bill straightened out. I’m glad you found the daffodils. That’s a cheery surprise!
The temperature went up to 72°F then we had ‘the storm’. It lasted seven minutes. Just the time for me to put the plants out. Then it stopped.
I was looking at photos of this time last year and the vegetation is so far behind. Everything was green and blooming, the stream was flooding and the ditches were running. This year everything is dry, and even the dandelions are very sparse. The stream is still only a trickle.
A seven minute severe storm could do a lot of damage, but it would have been nice if you got a steady rain.
True. This was one clap of thunder, one flash of lightning and a few buckets of water. Even Trixie didn’t move from her box in the veranda and she’s terrified of storms.
Oh, that’s a sad excuse for a storm. It should feel ashamed. 😂
This is gorgeous writing, Merril! I love those daffodils in their unexpected yellow against the bluest sky 😍😍
Thank you so much, Sanaa!🥰
I’m gasping looking at all of your and Na’ama’s photos….
Spring in February… nuts!!
Beautifully done, though 😉
There’s your poem, Dale. Join in!
And thank you. 😊
Oh, I am almost done 😉
And you are welcome 😉
😊
Beautiful
Thank you, Beth!
I love the gasp of wonder at spring growth under the “bluest sky.”
Thank you, Merril!
Thank you very much, Marian!
You can never be sure, can you? I love this celebration of the yellow things of spring.
Thank you very much, Sarah.
No, you never know. 💙
“Oh, devoutly to be wished,” he said, gazing out sadly on his eight inches of new snowfall.
Great Stuff, MS. Thanks.
Thank you, Ron.!
It’s beautiful, but strange to have it all so early.
Spring is still a long way here. But I look forward to seeing those first blooms. I admire the colors and “golden teeth.”
Thank you very much, Grace.
It came very early here–and our winter has been unusually mild this year.
I particularly appreciate how the poem moves from “this year” to “any year.” It gives the poem symmetry and prompts reflection.
Thank you very much. Liz.
Exactly what I wanted!
You’re most welcome, Merril!
Lovely poem.
Thank you.
The autumn leaves with the spring blooms do make a gasping juxtaposition. We are getting a bit of snow tonight, but not much. And our spring is not as far along as yours yet anyway. (K)
Thank you.
That frost did not seem to bother the daffodils or crocuses. We had rain last night, but they may have had snow further north.
I love the sinister celebration here and the shocking details. Cheers to a wispy, go-with-the-flow March.
Interesting, K. Thank you!
Nice weather for the flowers, yours read “pretty”. We had an unwelcome freeze so only the roses are flowering yet here in southeast Texas. The tough canna lilies are about to grow enough new foliage to flower. Oleanders, dead stalks cut to the ground, are shooting up leaves. Already we are in the 80F’s.
..
Thank you, Jim.
wonderful imagery, i loved the yawn and teeth and ofc winter’s last gasp!
Thank you so much, Jay! 😊
A beautiful combination of verse and photography
Thank you very much, Derrick.
The descriptions are amazing, Merril. 🙂
Thank you very much! 😊
Breathtaking writing and gorgeous images. Merril, this is stunning poetry.
Thank you so much, Rene! 🥰
So welcome 🤗
Oh, nice!! It looks like spring did come early for your neck of the woods. Love the colors.
Pat
Thank you very much, Pat!
A beautiful farewell to winter and welcoming of spring… makes me yearn to see the first buds (which is over two months away in my part of Canada!).
Thank you very much!
It’s very early here this year in New Jersey. I think I read about three weeks early.
You’re welcome! How nice to have spring come early. Enjoy.
Lovely piece of writing that is alive with the feel of spring! ❤
Thank you so much! 😊
Excellent, Merril. Your poem triggered thoughts of my wife’s excitement yesterday when the local (TX) bluebonnet wildflowers suddenly showed up.
Snow in NEPA? I grew up in that. March is for welcoming Spring.
Thank you, Bill.
I know people do get excited when the bluebells arrive.
Is NEPA northeast PA? I don’t think there was much there this year either. I’m in south Jersey.
Right. Grew up in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
“Winter’s frost-breath.” as “A last gasp” is just stunning.
Thank you so much, De! 😊
Lovely spring poem, Merril.
I like the part where it “yawned” in.
I wish we had some crocus and daffodils here. It must be significantly warmer where you live. Another 3 weeks – month and we should see some colour.
Are there buds on the trees where you live?
Thank you!
Everything is happening about three weeks earlier than usual this year.
Wow!!!
Absolutely beautiful. Nature at its best 👌
Thank you so much! 😊