Ode to Spring

There's something magical about spring. The boys were outside on their bikes when I noticed our tree out front is finally really leafing out. Mostly it's still covered with those green caterpillar type buds that turn into leaves, but a few are starting to pop out now. Since this tree is in the process of dying, I started feeling a little sentimental about this. This may be the last year we get to see it leaf out in the spring. So I took this picture as a kind of farewell, and ended up taking a few more pictures too.







This is a blossom on our dwarf peach tree. We're very excited about this, and hope the few blossoms on this tree survive the birds. We planted this tree last year and this is the first season we're seeing fruit. :)

See how tiny this tree is? I think it must be about Christopher's size.

And of course my roses...

In case you're not as fond of plants as I am, here are a few pics of the boys.

A Prayer in Spring
by Robert Frost

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.
Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.
And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.
For this is love and nothing else is love,
The which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends He will,
But which it only needs that we fulfil.