Signs of Spring...
Even though a frosty morning with a fresh covering of snow holds a special place in my heart, I find the new beginnings of spring, literally a breath of fresh air as the perfume from delicate blossoms sweetens the breeze.
Ontario's symbolic perennial, the Trillium, is a beautiful reminder of warmer days to come.
Forests come alive with woodland critters...
...and the early blooms of "Bloodroot" dot the wooded landscape.
Marsh marigolds emerge from last season's withered foliage, magnificently bordering the wetlands...
...and frogspawn (a mass containing thousands of jelly like eggs, each containing a tadpole embryo), float in the open waters, potentially becoming the swamp's newest amphibious dwellers or food for existing marsh inhabitants!
Wild leeks emerge and blanket the forest floor...
...and sweet asparagus thrive along the fence rows!
Spring is also the season of love...
...showing off, (a male wild turkey in full strut with hens during the spring mating season)
...and creating new life (White Sucker fish swimming upstream to spawn).
This is also the season for rubber boots and soaking wet shoes as dew covers every blade of grass...
...and fields are flooded with melted snow and April showers.
All of the seasons that we are lucky enough to experience are truly wonderful but spring is a special time where we dust off the cobwebs from winter's long embrace, anticipate longer days and bask in the glory of our beautiful surroundings.