Snow Drops

Mid-February accomplishes a 10-degree rise in the altitude of the noon sun from its low in December. While ice and snow persist, the hardy snowdrop flower arises to its moment, Spring's Herald. This joking moment, a part of Nature's humor, invariably buries these adventurers, perhaps several times, before other bulbs a month later begin to offer even their green shoots to late winter's emotional deviations.
Still, as daylight grows longer and daytime temperatures approach freezing, hearts and minds turn to southern foundation gardens warmed both by the basement boiler and by more sunshine. A quick helping hand and light rake removes dead leaves and scattered branches dropped by winter's blasts. The result brings a smile to my mate, and these adventurers to our eyes...