Unexpected

When we moved into our new house it was September 24th, and as fall had arrived we had little time to inspect our new yard. It wasn't long before the snowflakes began to fall, and very quickly the yard was blanketed by several feet of snow. It was fascinating this week to watch as spring arrived and our new yard sprang into life again.

The first sign was little buds on the trees, tiny bits of green at first but quickly appearing as little leaves. Those green leaves were expected, of course, as in spring almost every living tree begins to show some greenery. What I didn't expect, though, was when our new yard began to bloom.

It began with these shrubs. My husband had been trimming them, which is a new task as we've never had shrubbery before (and frankly the very word "shrubbery" always makes me think of Monty Python and giggle a bit). I was out on an errand while he was trimming and when I returned home he told me I must come see the shrub beside the house. There, on the bottom branches of the shrubs, were the most beautiful little pink flowers. What began as small numbers of flowers quickly became masses of pink blooms, spreading from the bottom branches upwards.

Next I noticed these yellow flowers. One day they were not there, and the next day they were. It was astonishing, really. They are delicate and lovely.

To my delight another tree in our yard began to show tiny white blossoms, and the scent was unmistakable - lilac! It's a beautiful tree, too, tall and very showy.

Finally, I noticed the large tree in our front yard was greening up, but there also seemed to be something unusual about the colour. When I went closer I realized the entire tree was covered with flower buds about to open. I was astonished. When those pink flower buds opened they became the most delicate little flowers, and the smell was wonderful - it smells like cherries!  It appears our new yard holds several surprises for us, each more delightful than the last.

 I am a person who has always loved flowers. Every spring I have invested hundreds of dollars in buying flowers to plant in planters and hanging baskets. I'm actually not much of a gardener. I don't enjoy the actual gardening but I love the end result. This year, though, I will need to buy far fewer flowers. I thank the previous owners of my home who unwittingly provided me with such joy and pleasure this spring. The only thing better than flowers, dear friends, are the flowers that spring into your life unexpected.