April Showers

Bleeding hearts at North Cascades National Park

April showers bring May flowers. True- and April showers bring spring greens to life! The moisture from the rain showers enhances the vibrant fresh greens. As one of my coworkers described it- the showers cause the new greens to pop! Listen closely and you'll hear the changing song of the rain as it taps against new leaves of varying sizes. Inhale deeply- deeper- and bring in the sweet scent of all that extra oxygen being produced by all those leaves. Not to mention the cottonwoods. Yes- I too have pollen issues so breathing deeply when the big leaf maples are pollinating is rough; especially since, ironically, I live on Maple Tree lane! I can't help myself, though. The new life and dramatic changes from the winter to the spring is so invigorating.

Forest green at Goodell Creek Campground

I heard the first Townsend's warbler singing this past weekend. Soon the Wilson's warbler and the black-throated gray warbler's songs will escape the forest. It's May and the bird song will be pretty noisy as they all arrive back from wintering grounds, move through to summer breeding grounds, and the resident birds just plain start singing. This, too, will make my heart sing! Welcome to the world of relearning and learning the language of the birds!

"Observe the wonders as they occur.

Don't claim them.

Feel the artistry moving through

and be silent."

Rumi