Some of my best moments in a day come around mid-afternoon when I wander outside to get the mail. In winter, this means donning a coat and scarf, gloves and boots, my camera in one pocket and my cell phone in the other, as I leave the warmth of our snow covered home and slosh through the slush to our postal box, which is at the road.
Off I went yesterday, in the sunny afternoon, with snow glistening everywhere, first heading to the compost pile in the back. Table scraps and a wilted bouquet needed to be returned to the land, which meant trudging through eight or nine inches of snow to do it. First, I needed to get around this mound of snow,
then under the snow covered arbor.
One foot in front of the other, I plodded along, enjoying the snow covered vista before me, and spied this fairy out of the corner of my eye. There she was, in the bright afternoon sunlight, hiding under some dried oat grass. I wondered if she, too, was looking for spring.
A red tailed hawk danced overhead, searching for prey, and I could see several deer in among the trees and brush. They were watching me as I followed their hoof prints in the snow.
The mailbox was full; bills, sales fliers, a catalogue from White Flower Farm, which I resisted from opening. A few cars rolled by. I could see a yellow school bus coming up over the hill as I turned and headed back along my toe path, my eyes cast downward, vigilant for ice patches. With the temperatures rising, it felt good to be outdoors. March can be a fickle month here in the midwest with snowstorms one day, then 40°F temperatures the next, but the hope of springtime was in the air.
As I neared the turn in the drive leading back to the door, I noticed a wee splash of green with a tipping of yellow and I squealed with pure delight. There in the snow was my first sure sign of spring poking through the snow; a daffodil.
Indeed, dear ones, some of my best moments in a day come around mid-afternoon when I wander out to get the mail.
Gorgeous photos, Penny. I love your combination of a winter scene and signs of spring. I have been seeing the signs of spring too. Thousands of Canada Geese and Snowbirds have been hanging around getting their fill of last year’s corn before they head farther north. We also saw about a dozen eagles around the Emiquon Nature Conservancy Lake. I haven’t seen any fairies in the snow but I will be looking.
Thank you so much, Janet. I can just imagine the flocks of geese and snowbirds picking at last year’s corn. What a joyful noise they must be making. I heard the first oriole yesterday, singing in the rain. It seems a bit early for them, but, it was such a refreshing sound. How exciting to see the eagles. Is the Decorah camera feed up yet?
Never know about those fairies; they might be out near the pond.
Life is grand when the process of getting the mail is such a pleasure! And discovering that little daffodil in the snow was an extra bonus!
It is the small things that make life grand. Of course, when the wind is blowing and sleet is pummeling, that trip to the mailbox can be quite a chore. ha! The daffodil was a grand discovery, Janet, and it came when I wasn’t even looking, which made it all the sweeter.
Nature is amazing! Your pictures remind me of the thawing of Narnia at the end of the White Witch’s reign, Penny.
What an image your words conjure up, Kate. Our snow is just about melted now, after warmer temperatures and a torrent of rain.
What an adventure you make of a simple trip to collect the mail. I enjoyed every step, Penny, and especially the surprise at the end. Everything is so picturesque in the snow, and that tiny daffodil defies expectations. What a wonderful surprise.
I’m so pleased to hear that you enjoyed my steps, Juliet. The daffodil was a welcomed surprise. Alas, our wintry landscape has been replaced by puddles as the temperatures have risen and rain has fallen. Living here in the midwest, we know we could still have blizzards and freezing temperatures before we have a true spring. Still, the daffodils are poking through and with that comes hope.
A lovely quiet time with a beautiful discovery at the end! Such a lovely post. Spring is coming soon for you — I look forward to watching that daffodil as it continues to emerge. (And nowadays of course I only see that wonderful flower in photos!)
It is amazing how a simple chore can change one’s perspective at times, isn’t it Sallie? It is raining today, so, I might not be enjoying my mailbox walk quite as much today. Soon, seas of yellow daffodils will be our delight, however, and I will try to share some pictures.
A beautiful description. The photo at the end is just perfect. Jx
Thank you, Janice. It was such a sweet surprise. Today, there are several more daffodils peaking through. Hope.
How thrilling to see it coming out of the snow like that! A true sign that spring is not very far away.
These first signs of spring are pure bliss here, Sunday, giving us hope that spring is coming.
How beautiful, Penny. I love your fairy. And I’m so glad to hear that you’ve seen your deer! The little peek of a daffodil must surely have buoyed your spirits even more. You do still show quite a bit of snow, though, so I think it looks like it needs to warm up just a bit more before spring will be brave enough to make a full entrance!
Thank you, Debra. The deer are wandering about. I doubt that I’ll have any tree peonies this spring as they have devoured most of them; same with the lilacs. The snow cover makes them more visible and they wander around like giant ghosts in the night. The one thing they leave alone is the daffodils -which were a delight to discover! We still have a ways to go before spring. March can be brutal and is often the month for snowstorms, but, we know the end is in sight and the daffodils are an early sign of the season’s change.