On first look today, our world was enrobed in a down-to-the-ground cloud. It was the thickest fog I can remember in ages. School looked super spooky:
Back at home, I thought how blah and sad the street garden looked, as it has since the deep December freeze killed off so many things that often overwinter and I didn’t plant enough winter interest to keep it looking good all year.
Then I decided to take a closer look to see if I could see something beautiful, something interesting, something worth noticing, signs of spring to come or summer past. In just a few minutes of slowing down and looking closely, here is some of what I found in my seemingly nondescript landscape.
Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ seedheads
Purple sprouting broccoli sticking out its wet “tongue”
Lemon balm seeds (need to get rid of those pronto!) against Mexican feather grass tendrils
Crocus awaiting the sun’s kiss to open up shop for the day
One giant dewdrop and a million little ones on a lupine leaf
Gossamer strands, evidence of a spider’s presence on iris seedpods
and coneflower too
Then this, which would have been enough on its own to banish the gloom of the day
The first tulip! Don’t scream, yours aren’t behind. This tulipa greigii came up first here last year, before the snowdrops and crocus had stopped blooming, so it must be in its nature to be the earliest bird.
Even in the less spectacular garden seasons, there’s probably always something to notice – even if it’s “just” spiderwebs on a dead flower or, in another climate, bird tracks in the snow. We just have to slow down enough to find it.











Spring! Raindrop on lupine leaf! Lovely!
What a lovely collection of foggy, dewey photos. The lupine leaf is my favorite. I love those mornings when we get the heavy fog that decorates everything with dew drops. They always smell wonderful also.
good for you slowing down and noticing all that is going on, beautiful! That lupine leaf…new this spring (wow) or left over from last year? Mine and my neighbors are no where to be seen!
Karen your second picture looks like what I was driving in the other day on I-5 heading up to meet Catherine. Plus a downpour with it. I LOVE your Lupine leaf picture the way the raindrops outline it. Just gorgeous. And the spider webs are great too.
It’s hard to contain the glee that wells up inside when you realize we’re passing a winter and spring is about to explode around us. Maybe a primordial feeling? I always get misty if I dwell on it. These pictures captured that feeling perfectly!
Thank you Karen!
What great pictures!! I love the very first one and that broccoli’s wet tongue is cute. I remember your tulips from last year.
I think we had a bit of frost this morning and it looks like there’s some in a couple of your pictures.
You had me thinking it was beautiful with your first photo! Your sharing the details closer in make it more so, but the natural flow of the grasses and the forms of the trees are just as lovely as your jewels hidden there. Exquisite photographs! ;>)
Thanks for sharing your photos. I am still longing for spring where I live. Despite our recent warmth, I don’t have any spring growth yet. At least I get to enjoy some signs of spring through your photos.
Your close-ups are just wonderful, Karen. I especially love that lupine leaf shot. You are having a good time with your new camera, and we are the beneficiaries!
Thanks for slowing down, and taking us with you. The spider webs are so fetching outdoors and so yech collecting on my windowsills inside. The lupine gets my vote, too…looks like it belongs in your jewel box.
Beautiful and inspiring!
Lovely pictures – I particularly like the dewdrop. If you look close there is always something of interest!
I love how spooky fog can look… great pic.’s.
You have a ton of winter interest! It looks good from a distance and close up. I love that lupine dew shot. I’ve been admiring lupine foliage from afar forever, I think I might have to try some this year.
Aaaahhhh! Jaw-dropping photos… so good! I love your message about slowing down, it’s very true, now more than ever. Thanks so much for this post today. :~) Bonnie