LIFE'S BETTER IN THE MOUNTAINS

Monday, March 7, 2016

Few Signs but Welcome Ones


Among the many pleasures of living in North Carolina is the gradual unfolding of spring.  In Wisconsin, spring was rather like "The Wonderful One Hoss Shay," described by Oliver Wendell Holmes.  Spring arrived:
 All at once, and nothing first, —
Just as bubbles do when they burst.

One day the trees were bare and it seemed the bleak mid-winter.  Within a week, not only were the spring flowers blooming, the grass was green and the trees were leafed out.  It's different here, with spring arriving in bits and pieces, each one as valued as the other.  In the lower elevations the crocus and daffodil are blooming in profusion.  Our community is about a week or two "behind" the weather downtown.  But even so, we have our own signs of spring.

This camellia seems unaware that another cold spell is certain.
And all those lovely buds will brown and fall off.
But she puts out a few flowers nonetheless.
And we appreciate it.





 Right on time the Lenten Rose (hellebore) is blooming as well.





 Arnold Promise (our witch hazel) has fewer blooms than usual
But they are still lovely and the fragrance fills the air.





 Dependable pieris japonica blooms right on time.





 And one flower never stops blooming no matter the season or weather.
It's a cut glass flower made and welded by a WI neighbor as a farewell gift.


So we watch as spring approaches.  And we drive to different elevations where we can find a lot more spring and dead of winter all in one day.  Life is definitely better in the mountains.



11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those first signs of spring are always so welcome. Our camellia has been flowering for a while, and its burst of color was a true gift. Looking forward to the colors spring has to offer.

The Bug said...

We're in NC checking up on the dads - there are daffodils everywhere! And my dad has pansies everywhere. I'm glad to be here since we're a good bit behind at home in Ohio.

Arkansas Patti said...

How neat that you have the different elevations and the different stages of Spring. Love the look of the Witch hazel. I've got to get some.

Barbara Rogers said...

Yes, our mountain spring is certainly a lovely season...though I think we probably will see winter kicking back at us another time or two.

Ms. A said...

Beautiful signs of spring!

troutbirder said...


Slow often means more time for appreciation...:)

NanaNor's said...

Hi, Beautiful flowers! Our weather has been wacky-for three weeks it has been so nice and spring like. Yesterday we got rain and storm clouds and today it started out nice but clouded up again and is cold. I am so anxious for spring! I miss Camilla's here and many other plants we had in Ca.
Thanks for sharing; have a great week.
Hugs, Noreen

Lowcarb team member said...

Out yesterday and I too saw some lovely Camellias'...

I love all your flowers here but especially the last one, your cut glass flower, what a lovely gift.

All the best Jan

KB said...

No doubt, life is better in the mountains! I love your flowers. Love, love, love!!!

Here, we drive down 3,000' to get to town. That means that town is about 30 days ahead of us in the spring. They have some flowers. Yipee! Life is better in the mountains!

KGMom said...

Yup--spring is a-coming.
We had temps in the mid 70s today. And I do see the tips of bulb flowers--daffodils, hyacinths.
I think you are a bit ahead of central Pennsylvania--we don't have any flowering trees yet.

NCmountainwoman said...

Thanks for your comments, everyone

Robin - some years we don't get to see any full blooms on the camellias. We're at the edge of their growing zone

Bug - Yes, once you get down the mountain spring has definitely arrive in NC

Patti - The witch hazel has a wonderful aroma as well as the lovely yellow sight.

Barbara - No doubt. We've not seen the last of winter

Ms. A - thanks

Troutbirder - Exactly. That's why we missed our unfolding spring when we lived in WI.

Noreen - I think we always long for the plants and flowers we had elsewhere. Hope you get some spring weather soon.

Jan - We do love the cut-glass flower. Our neighbor was a periodontist and did the metal and glass work to keep her hands skilled in fine detailed movement.

KB - Amazing how much difference 3,000 feet elevation can make. We're lucky enough to drive that much from downtown up other mountains. Our mountain is only 3,200 feet but it's more than a thousand feet higher than the town.

Donna - Most trees are totally bare. These shrubs are ones we planted because of their winter and early spring blooming. Otherwise, there are definitely no flowering trees here either.