Pussy Willow Spring

Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.
~Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke

The Empty Nest and The Pussy Willow

Port Maitland, Ontario, is located on the North shore of Lake Erie, at the mouth of the Grand River.

David Bebee and Mathew McCarthy - Photo Journalist's

http://www.therecord.blogs.com/

American pussy willow (Salix discolor), is native to northern North America.  In the northern United States, where tropical palms do not grow,  many orthodox religions use pussy willow branches in the celebration Palm Sunday.  The furry buds, which preceed the leaf, were referred to as pussies as reminding of cats.

Spring comes forth with a reckless abandon and awakens our desire for fresh new beauty.  We long to surround ourselves with wild flowers and wide open green space.  Vegetable gardens and flower beds capature our attention and we are once again filled with hope of a new season.

I love Pussy Willows.  The soft fur buds of  Pussy Willows touch the softest part of my soul.  The long branches are bare between soft furry buds.   The bare branch speaks to me of winter.  The wonder buds gently announce the coming spring.   The singular beauty of these decorated branches speak hope for a new season of growth.  In the above photo I imagine the return of sky blue speckled eggs and soon baby birds chirping for food. 

The snows, iced rain, and the howling wind may dominate above the earths surface, but the roots and seeds of spring lay still as death, and just as cold, dormant waiting for the warm return.  The light and warmth of spring signal the dormant plants and trees to begin again.  Tender shoots and buds sprout and life begins anew.

Spring reminds me to tend the garden of my self;  to design a new garden of possibility; to pull weeds of unhealthy habits; haul away rocky thought patterns; to plant seeds of good choice; and drink in the beauty of wide open space.

With a good spring cleaning we can emerge filled with new energy to plant the good and profitable things in our lives.

Willow Catkin Fairy

Cicely Mary Barker