:: winter's bow ::

Lately it feels like Winter's stunning performance is coming to an end. Of course he might like to entertain us yet with an encore, but Spring is creeping in to take over for the following act. And, though Winter has been full of beauty, I can't wait to see Spring really appear! I find myself looking at each tree, searching for the signs of buds about to flower, or for a glimpse of green. It's not there yet, but not far away.

Yesterday I enjoyed one of my favourite afternoons in a long time. Because it was rather warm, I decided to drive down the hill with the girls and walk them in their pushchair while they had their afternoon sleep. One of the things I just love about Switzerland is the myriad of little lanes that surround many fields and connect villages, and which are (most of the time) vehicle free. I chose one of these lanes for our walk, with the intention that, once the girls awoke they could get out and walk around exploring...which is one of their current favourite things to do!

While they slept (after a while of resisting!) I looked around me, capturing signs of Winter's final bow...

...and Spring's debut...

It's funny. The more I noticed, the more I saw...and I found myself stopping every few steps and pulling my camera out again. As I looked up above me to the branches of trees, bare but beginning to bud, stretching their arms up into the blue, clear sky, these words came into my thoughts...

The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of His hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech,

night after night they reveal knowledge.

They have no speech, they use  no words;

no sound is heard from them.

Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,

their voice to the ends of the world.

Psalms chapter 19 verses 1- 4

 

 

When such beauty-filled, hope-filled surroundings are set before a backdrop like this, it's hard not to open the eyes wider little by little, searching for more...

I didn't have the right lens for this! Can you make out Mt Blanc in the centre? Stunning landscape!

Eventually the girls stirred and awoke, and were more than happy to have their slippers exchanged for shoes so they could be off to explore...spotting birds, aeroplanes, the moon, passersby, babies, bikes, dogs...the list goes on :o)

Before we knew it, 3 hours had gone by! We got home in time to welcome daddy back from work, have some dinner and before long two little girls were fast asleep in their beds. 

We're going back for more this afternoon...