Spem Reduxit

spring crocus... our first flowers for this year

Lo! where the rosy-bosom'd Hours,
Fair Venus' train appear,
Disclose the long-expecting flowers,

- Ode on the Spring by Thomas Gray

Finally, after days of damp, dreary weather, we had a day and a half of sunshine and warmth this past weekend.It was such a nice change from the gray, rainy mornings and bleak, covered afternoons we've had these past several days. Oh yes, we did have some sunny days but the temperature was most of the time between 0 to -5 ° C in the mornings and around 5 - 8° C in the afternoon.(yep, it may sound contradictory, but it does happen) Then, you have the additional wind factor to consider which can make the days really chilly.

Anyway, it was such a real treat to feel the sun on your face, to have a warm- bordering- on- balmy temperature (you don't have to wear those cumbersome pull-overs) and there was neither rain nor wind to spoil the day. For me, it felt like it has been ages since we had this kind of weather. I mean, last year, we had like a dozen of summer-like days in April and 2-3 weeks of sun in summer. But the rest of the year, it was like it was always November --- cold, wet and gloomy.

And seeing these crocus (our first flowers for this year) really cheered me up. Spem reduxit...they restored my hope... my hope for an end to overcast sky and dull days... and for the beginning of sunny days, picnics and walks in the woods. I know it's still too early to hope for spring (it's officially still a month away), but I really miss the sun.