While Pruning

For the past 3 days I've spent all my time in the garden pruning. It's always a big job and with the ice storm last winter there was a lot of damage, so I've had to be a bit more brutal than I would wish. One of the great joys of pruning is bringing out the shape of things. It always gives me pleasure; that and finding the surprises, like another small patch of trillium. They don't self-seed easily in my garden so this was a huge treat. And the fiddleheads, still wearing their furry coats, are popping up everywhere. I love spring.

trillium, 2014

fiddlehead, still wearing its' furry coat, 2014

Fiddleheads

First, small fuzzy knobs appear on the floor of the shady areas of the garden. The next time you look, they have legs, very hairy legs. And the next time you look the cocoon is splitting and green is emerging, folded into itself, pleated in a curve. I love watching these tiny, miraculous, impersonal bursting[s] into spring.