Temporary Spring
the first "false" spring arrives in the forest
Forest Wanderer is a space to immerse in calm and quiet moments in nature—it showcases the small, and often overlooked, magic of the forest. Subscribe for free or upgrade for personal journal posts and to support the heart and soul I pour into everything I create here.
March’s early days bring signs of spring; but I am wise to her ways, it is but a temporary glimpse into a future we haven’t arrived at yet. Even as I sit down to write this post, we are just emerging from a winter storm, which dumped 20cm+ of fresh snow. The beautiful glimpse of green in the forest now has another wet white blanket hiding its magic.
But I will embrace the momentary false spring of a few days ago, and I will share its bright, vibrant energy with you, for it is still a sign that the end of winter is near.
Patches of snow remain in shadowed hollows and unlit corners of the woods; the trails are icy from the daytime melt and nighttime freeze, but much has melted and I am mostly surrounded by green things once again.
A still and quiet pond reflects the surrounding forest and mountains; it is in shadow and remains cold, frost limning the moss-drenched branches as they rise from the glassy expanse of water.
The lake, sunlit and bright, still hides beneath its icy cover; though enough open water has attracted a small flock of geese as they return north from their winter migration. The geese returning is a sure sign that spring is close now.
As for other forest critters, birds flit from the tops of trees and fill the sky with their song. This location is wonderful for birdsong and I love to come here in spring solely to listen.
Our woodland squirrel doesn’t seem to mind our presence today; he sits quietly on his branch to eat a mid-morning snack.
It was a cold night, and frost still coats the marsh grasses; setting off a riot of sparkles when the light catches it just right. Patterns adorn the ice and heaps of snow still frozen solid are illuminated when sunbeams filter through the trees on the lake’s edge.
Now, I am back into the snow and rain, but this temporary peek into spring’s arrival has me looking forward to the snow’s eventual melt.
Thank you for joining me in the forest, my friends.
Until we wander again,
♡ Whitney
Beautiful photos! Thank you for sharing.
For me, the Pacific Northwest has always been what heaven looks like!