Storybook cream puff clouds

Playfully glide across the blue ribbon bay

Bouncing off one another

Playing hide and seek between the bulges of the islands

Fishing trawler motors slowly into the harbor

Engine grumbling toward the dock

Tangled nets and a multitude of lines

Attracting hungry seagulls with the promise of the remains of a fresh catch

Swooping and soaring they chuckle and chortle their anxious greetings

Another glorious day at the bay

©Belindabotzong2018

Spring’s Beauty Pageant

First up

Early bloomer

A real show stopper

Last snowfall graces her pretty purple petals

Her name is Crocus

Hope of winter’s passing

Next up we have

Tall and graceful with ruffled lace adorning her yellow head

She sways in chilly breezes

Often drenched in rain

Bright sunny disposition never diminished

Her name is daffodil

Delight of spring

For our next contestant

Highly regarded and coveted around the world

Simplicity at its finest

Dressed in jeweled hues

She really knows how to draw a crowd

Her name is tulip

Promise of glorious days

Coming up next we have a regal beauty

Timeless and treasured

Her delicate blossoms gather in heavy bunches

Dressed in various hues of white, pink, and purple accented with jade accessories

She knows how to attract an audience

Her name is rhododendron

Promise of summer days ahead

And for our final contestant

A blushing beauty

Most delicate and desirable

Her fragrance and beauty melts the heart of everyone

Her wardrobe is vastly varied and imaginative

Her name is rose

Anticipation of beautiful futures

It’s nearly impossible to pick a winner when so much beauty abounds. Peonies and daisies, sunflowers and nasturtiums and so many others will write the poetry of nature this spring.

We are down to our final five contestants. As they parade through the gardens announcing the arrival and departure of the season of hope, let’s take a look once more at the top five. Will it be rose in her royal finery? Will it be the more delicate daffodil? The breathtaking rhodie? The surprising crocus? Or perhaps the timeless tulip. As they make their appearances in succession over the coming months you can choose a favorite or you can love them all. Enjoy!!

There we have it folks. Let’s have these lovely ladies take a final bow as we await the judges decision -which of these will be crowned and win Spring’s Annual Beauty Pageant?

©Belindabotzong2018

Sense of Spring

Spring sees the snow capped mountains distant to the sea

Spring looks like a beautiful gown of yellow buds on bright green leaves in deeply furrowed fields of daffodils

Spring smells like fresh mowed grass and salty air

Spring inhales the freshness of the breeze on her puffy clouds

Spring tastes like honey and nectar filled blooms

Spring licks her lips covered in pollen and smiles

Spring touches the imagination with a twist of longing for long lazy days ahead

Spring feels like a fever waiting to break —warmth mixed with chilly bursts and sweet relief

Spring hears giggling gulls and high pitched squeals of children

Spring listens to winter as he hangs his head in regret, sensing his remorse that it couldn’t go on longer as he marches off into the horizon.

©Belindabotzong2018

KISS OF SPRING

Spring blew a kiss into the sky

Winter caught it in her winds and blustered

Spring sprinkled warm sunlight everywhere

Winter tried to hide it with her puffed up clouds

Spring poured sweet perfumes of fresh cut grass and daffodil blooms across the valley

Winter inhaled and sneezed a cold breeze across her snow drenched mountain tops

Spring presses hard against winter’s intensity

Winter presses back to remind spring it’s not her time

Not quite

But soon

©Belindabotzong2018

Sunrise Artist

With the sky as his canvas

He holds a palette of light and moist vapors in the crook of his right elbow

He uses his breath to pour out subtle hues on the edges of clouds formed by his left hand

He strokes the sun to ever so slowly lift its light and he calls forth the morning

He stands back and admires his handiwork and lets it slowly transform

He adds shimmering tones of violet and lavender in multiple layers then sprinkles it all with the golden light that pours from his puddle of sunshine

He swirls a finger through his masterpiece to scatter clouds across the eastern horizon

And touches the tips of the mountain range with sparkles of gold and silver

He blows a gentle breeze across the pristine blue water that pours from his artist’s enormous brush to become the rippled bay of sapphire

He fingerpaints the distant islands into the edge of the vastness of the sea

Smudged outlines far in the western sky

He tips his head back and lets a delighted laugh fill the sky with birds then turns his head to see the perfect spot for his deep pink and purple crocus to be placed among the flowerbeds waiting to be awakened at the sound of the artist’s voice

He paints with wild abandon in every shade and tone and hue

His heart pours its fullness into details unseen by anyone but him

He sets his palette aside to admire his creation

And submits another sunrise to the gallery of eternal mornings, pleased at his handiwork

He sighs and starts planning for a brand new sunset

©Belindabotzong2018

Harbor Life

Boats, yachts, Fishing vessels and sailboats

An array of dreamy Names painted in various script

Starlight, Ocean Hunter, Desire, Yvonne and so many others on the bow or stern announcing the clever and thoughtful uniqueness of its owner or captain

Swaying chains and rolls of nets

Piles of well- used crab pots and knotted ropes in blue and yellow

Twisted amongst rusted links of anchors and chains

Wafting breezes carry salty fragrances across the rippled tide where crying gulls bounce on gentle waves then rise suddenly to soar into the gray winter sky

Chaotic and peaceful with a beautiful rhythm that calms the spirit of those on shore watching harbor life

©Belindabotzong2018

Spring Marching In

Spring marching into a warm afternoon announcing her intentions to stay awhile

Hysterical seagulls chuckling and chortling as thy swoop in with a colorful kite circling above

Giggling children squealing in high pitched voices chasing one another through the park and sliding down for the hundredth time

The warmth of the sun mixing with the coolness of a gentle breeze spreading over the placid salty bay ripples

Weightless puffs of white clouds lingering at the horizon and just over the tips of snow capped peaks giving the illusion of warmer days of springtime

Barren trees etching the blue topaz sky with hands raised high applauding a winning round for spring

Full yellow moon rising in celebration of Spring’s parade

©Belindabotzong2018

Let spring win

Lapping waves splash playfully against the sides of boats in the harbor. Gently swaying in the constant current.

Flapping wings of a manic duck skipping over the gentle ripples

Seagulls in tandem catching wind currents up then down then up again soaring and swooping as they chuckle to each other

Islands outlined in misty thin layers of low hanging clouds in an otherwise pale blue winter sky. Frosted hilltops surround the bay in tantalizing crisp white layers

Hazy Sunlight filters as the horizon pulls the yellow ball ever toward the edge of the sea and the days lengthen almost imperceptibly a minute at a time

Frosted morning now forgotten as winter pulls hearts toward spring.

©Belindabotzong2018

Seasonal Nursery Rhyme

Ring around a rosy moon

Pockets full of mittened hands

Twilight sky in hues of blackened blues

Cold breath creating vapor clouds that drift in the crisp breeze, freezing tear-cicles in my eyes

Twinkles of little starlight dance amongst the parted skies revealing remnants of snowmen fading into lawns surrounded by buds longing to burst into daffodils

Cautious steps on hail slickened sidewalks tiptoe near the tulips emerging beneath the frozen soil

Spring continues to promise a glorious arrival if only winter would surrender its icy hold

©Belindabotzong2018