While I can’t remember its writer or its title, the lyrics of this song ring through my head, “Everything must die to be born again.” Fall is that death and in winter it seems that life will never burst forth from the frigid, frozen earth. But the snow always melts, the buds always come in brilliant greens. Tufts of grass shoot up as the robins return to build their nests. Flowers shyly peek out of the ground, ready to unfurl their glory. Ah, spring! There is so much hope, so much life, so much pollen…yeah, I could do without the pollen. Here are some images of spring I’ve captured over the past week in celebration of today, the first day of spring! (Though it’s an early spring here in the Lehigh Valley due to unseasonal warmth.) And don’t steal my photographs…or the goonies will come get you! (Always ask permission.)
This is my favorite photo in the essay. The vibrant purple flower with its bright yellow center and green leaves with the deadened background. Truly, life coming out of death. This image is currently the wallpaper on my desktop. It gives me chills.
I almost deleted this picture of the daffodil bud about to open,but then I noticed all the texture, shadows, and various shades of green (with a twinge of yellow). To me, this is the essence of life becoming! Something is about to happen here!
This is why I always try to carry a point-and-shoot camera with me. I found this flowering tree by the mailboxes at my mom’s apartment building. I don’t like to crop my photographs, except for artistic purposes, but in the case of this picture, part of my freckly arm was visible.
I love obscure close-ups, and that was the only way to adequately capture the buds on this tree. They’re still tight, not ready to open…but soon. Admittedly, my other Canon (the one in the company of BFF Sarah) takes better close-ups than my current point-and-shoot and my DSRL (perhaps if I had a good close-up lens, that would help.)
Over the past year or so, I’ve noticed that I have a growing fondness for the color “yellow,” which used to be one of my least favorite colors in the wheel. But a vibrant yellow, like this daffodil, is enchanting, isn’t it? Daffodils are my favorite spring flower…dark, yellow ones like this.
Texture, I adore texture! I know that most people will never understand my fascination with bark, moss, rocks, sidewalk cracks, shadows, and rusty things, but I love texture and finding beauty in what’s broken and/or common. Come on, you have to admit that this moss is beautiful! My camera did a surprisingly good job on this close-up!
One final image of the tree that captured my attention, this time from underneath the branch with my camera pointed at the clear blue sky dotted with puffs of white. What a beautiful world You have created, Lord!
She is Beloved 
Simply beautiful!