Saturday 21 May 2022

How Magical is the Arrival of Spring?

 Sunday 15 May

It was a long journey to Prince Edward Island, Canada, but oh, how worth it for the joy of being with family and experiencing the unfurling of spring each day.

It has been a very long winter on the island. The first snow fell in early December. Many storms followed, along with miserable weather right up until about a week ago. On waking Monday morning it appeared to me to be still winter, as a dark cloudy sky, wind, and a chilly 10 C temperature, greeted us. After breakfast, we took a brisk walk around Victoria Park, and even the locals were rugged up. Later, our son Stuart collected us from our B&B and I couldn't help but notice the golden glow of the dandelions poking their heads up everywhere. Since then, they have created cheerful carpets wherever I look.



The trees were leafless and stark to look at. Yet, they too have been bursting into bud and quickly unfurling their delicate, lustrous, light green leaves.

Victoria Park






On our first morning, I was thrilled each time I spotted an emerging flower or fern.








This lovely, bright flowering shrub must be the portent to spring, as it was well and truly in flower and in many gardens.

Day two - spring was just so evident.


Stuart's trees.

The trees several doors along.

Downtown






Cornwall, where Stuart lives.



Tulips and a carpet of white and mauve violets!


Bonshaw Hills Provincial Park
At first glance, we thought this tree had succumbed to the winter winds. Look closely and you will discover as we did, new branches sprouting.

So tiny and delicate.


The trees outside our unit's back door were glowing in the 9 pm sunset light. 

The sunsets have been rather special too!

Spring has been wondrous, but the real magic is the overflowing joy of watching our Grandchildren running, laughing, exploring, touching and sharing this wonder with us.



I would love to read your comment.

13 comments:

  1. Helen,

    It is wonderful to read your blog and see familiar scenes, like the view from the top area of trail at Bonshaw.

    We haven’t seen any Trillium yet. The yellow flowering bushes, Forsythia, are everywhere this time of year.

    We were in Charlottetown yesterday after a visit to Canoe Cove where we had a picnic. We went to Cavendish on the way home.

    How wonderful it must be, after all this time, to be with your little sweeties!

    I hope we can meet at some point.

    Marie

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    1. Hello Marie. Today Frank, Stuart and I walked the Homestead Trail at Cavendish. Chilly but the sunshine made for perfect walking and appreciation of Spring's progress. I kept an eye open for you, just in case you were also about. It would be wonderful if we could meet up Wednesday, Thursday or Friday of next week.

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    2. My email is snappyfingers3@gmail.com

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  2. It makes my heart happy to see you reunited with your precious grandchildren! Give them lots of big hugs!

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    1. Thank you, Linda. This visit is very special.

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  3. So happy you are able to travel again. My brother and sister-in-law are equally pleased to be travelling to Canada to see family soon. So delightful to see spring just as our gardens are entering into winter shutdown.

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    1. I fully understand the excitement for your brother and his wife. I see the Sydney area is still being drenched. We are loving the PEI sunshine.

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  4. IT looks to be about a month behind us. I'm happy that you are getting to travel. It appears that they've elected a new PM in your absence.

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  5. It looks like you are fitting right in and feeling at home in PEI! How wonderful this is! Savour every single second!

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    1. Thank you, Alexandra. It is perfect in so many ways!

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  7. I'm so glad you were able to finally visit your family. It looks like nature rolled out a rainbow of beautiful colors for you. (The yellow shrub is the forsythia. We have it here, too.) The photo of you and your son is wonderful. If you are still there, I hope you are enjoying every minute. (Sorry I've been behind. Wedding stuff earlier and playing catch up now!)

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  8. I'm so happy for you Helen that after long years of waiting, you're able to visit your family on PEI. That portrait of you and your son is wonderful. I like the smile on your face as you're watching your grandchildren. Happy spring!

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