In like a lion, out like a lamb. (weather lore for March)
It is my great hope that the saying runs true this year, as more snowy icy weather has arrived with March here in western Pennsylvania. The woods and garden were undeniably lovely this morning as Angel and I rambled about. I spoke on “Fun With Color” to a master gardener’s graduation dinner last night; my inner vision was still filled with all of the color saturated garden photos in my presentation and I dreamed of the garden in full bloom last night. How startling to carry that colorful inner vision into the morning world of white and gray and brown! Nevertheless, the grainy snowfall fell gracefully against tree and stone and I could not but help admire nature’s monochromatic beauty.
Click on any image to start the gallery view.
All images ©2013 Lynn Emberg Purse, All Rights Reserved
To see some of those color-saturated garden photos, explore the Flower Portrait and Garden Photo galleries in the Photo Gallery Section.
For another March lion celebration, check out Carol’s Friday dance post featuring Miriam Makeba.
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Such stark images – white an dgrey and brown and black. I love this time of year for the “not knowing what the weather will bring us” feeling – one day storms the next basking in sunshine!
Lovely series, Lynn. It looks a lot like that here today (with a few inches of snow expected overnight). I’ve been longing for color, too. Hopefully we’ll see some soon. 🙂
Thanks, Robin. We got snow again today; it is a very high contrast winter/early spring season here – a few days of warm weather, followed by freezing cold and snow. Sigh . . . I’m ready for spring!
We forget how beautiful a simple palette can be – especially with such a range of texture. The photos are beautiful…and your spring will arrive soon enough (or you can borrow ours!)
That’s a great way to put it, Ogee – a simple palette. Thank you, and I may take you up on borrowing your spring – always nice to know that somewhere it is already unfolding 🙂
After a wk. of spring like temperature, our area will be hit by snow again tonight or tomorrow. We get the Chinook winds from the Rocky Mountains which are warm and cause snow melts. Then snow, then wind melt, etc. It happens several cycles in 1 winter.
We get a freeze thaw cycle too, Jean. I’m never sure if it is better to have a break and pretend it is spring or just to have it stay winter until it is gone for real. Not that we have any choice about it 🙂 Stay warm and well.
I’m sure you’d miss the markedly different seasons if they all became like our tropical ones. No snow, and coloured leaves or new shoots and blossoms don’t really register against the perennials,
I know what you mean, Colonialist, but I think I’ve reached my winter limit. I lived in southern Virginia for a few years and liked the mild winters there – there was definitely a change of seasons but on the side of warm weather. I don’t mind the first six or eight weeks of winter here in western PA, but when it stretches on for months, it gets very wearisome. It is a trade-off, I suppose; the summers are warm but not too hot here, good for the garden.
A snowy beginning to March will make spring all the sweeter!
No doubt, Tracy, but I still wish it would go away sooner rather than later 🙂
Cold but lovely images. March has entered like a lamb here in Wincanton.
Thank you, Chris; I hope the weather lamb stays with you in Wincanton – “in like a lamb, out like a lamb” would be very nice indeed!
Interesting images – the ‘snowy leaves’ looks like a MS Escher drawing. Let’s hope indeed that the saying will hold true this year! We should make a note to come back to these postings in the middle of a hot, humid summer 🙂
Thank you for a lovely compliment, Diversifolius – I’m a huge Escher fan! I became enchanted with all the textural subtleties this morning – just enough snow to highlight everything but not enough to hide the details. I will make a note to return in July to remind myself of the cold of March, but I don’t mind the heat if it brings color to the world 🙂
Beautiful photos! Here in the Sierra Foothills (Northern CA) March seems to be coming in like a lamb – it is a beautiful, warm, sunny day ~ I hope that doesn’t mean it is out like a lion for us! Love the image of your inner vision alive with color. It makes me smile. 🙂
Thanks, Amy, glad you enjoyed the story. I’m planning on editing more garden photos tonight just so that I can get back in that “color zone.” May you have lamb like weather all month!
I love the image of your carrying saturated garden colors in your mind, then waking to the stripped down monochrome of snowfall. I guess it’s going to be a while yet…
Bluebrightly, it was definitely the opposite of the “Wizard of Oz” experience 🙂 Sometimes I think I live more intensely in my head than anywhere else. Once, I had to write some Christmas arrangements in the summer. I hid in my studio for 3 days, with the AC turned up and decorations all around, to get in the spirit. When I went outside 3 days later, I was shocked to see that summer was in full bloom. Thanks for stopping by.
That’s a powerful imagination! Some of us, as much as we are attuned to and tied to the earth, can get pretty caught up in the mind muse. And that’s OK – obviously you make it work.
Lynn, I included a link to this post in dance around Friday because I took the idea of In like a Lion for my March 1st post. Besides I like these images.
Thanks, Carol – as always you are SO generous. I love Miriam Makeba – I will link back to you as well (and dance around the room) 🙂
If the long range forecast is correct, we’ll start seeing spring-like temperatures in about a week in both the Chicago and Indianapolis areas. Here’s hoping. It’s been beyond gloomy around these parts for what seems like forever.
Kerry, I hope that is the case – I have spring break next week and would love a break while I have the time to enjoy it!
Hope the saying is true! I like the abstract effect of the second image
I am ready for the lamb weather too! Thanks, LensScaper; the patterns of the snow, which was very granular, had a different effect on the hard surfaces which was intriguing.
I do love winter and its inward journey…and the reminders these storms bring not to conclude my lessons too early, but I sure would welcome a “senior skip day” of sunshine and color…what a fortunate thing we have the gift of photo albums online and off, and seed catalogues, and gardening texts to revive our spirits and kindle our anticipation. As always, Lynn, your gifts brighten my day and soothe my heart! Thank you soooo much!
“senior skip day” – that’s a great idea! Kitty, I’ve been starting each day with 30 minutes of watching a garden video, either of my garden or some from Gardens of the World or the Penelope Hobhouse series. It reminds me of the season to come and brings some color into the winter days. And the catalogs? It’s like being a chocoholic on a diet 🙂
Possibly the last of the white stuff … if not, no question the end of the cycle is near … and soon the garden will be vibrant with life as if winter never occurred.
Maybe not the last Frank, but I would love to think so. But you are right, the signs of spring are everywhere (or were until the latest snowfall). I am ready for the lamb part! Thanks for stopping by 🙂