First paintbrush

First paintbrush of the season--a brave soul, too. The temp was close to freezing last night--after soaring to 92 just a couple of afternoons before. March is usually a seesaw, but that's ridiculous. It's so dry that the wildflowers will be sparse, so I'm delighted to see this little guy. When the paintbrush bloom, the hummingbirds can't be far behind--another ten days, maybe.

One year, on March 15, it was cold, cold, cold, and the suet log was still hanging beside my office window, in the same spot where the hummingbird feeder hangs in the summer. I looked out, and there was a hummingbird, hovering beside the suet log, staring fiercely at it. Had to be the previous summer's hummer, looking for his hootch. I dropped what I was doing, fetched the feeder, brewed the hootch, took down the suet log, and fed that hungry hummer. I'm sure he'd had a long flight.

Reading note. It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold:  when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. ~Charles Dickens

Comments

[Annie in Austin]

Bluebonnets get the press but close-up they don't have the translucent beauty of a paintbrush.

I loved this story, Susan! The hummers come for abelia and salvia in our garden and they're not blooming. I hope the coral honeysuckle will hold them over.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

[Sharon]

This is so beautiful! I hope it's not too dry for a few bluebonnets.

[andylynne]

There is light at the end of the winter tunnel. And at the end are wild flowers :)

[Susan Albert]

Migosh. Hummers in Wimberley! I'll have to get out those hootch bottles this week. Thanks for the heads-up, Debi.

Re: quotes. It works both ways. Sometimes I happen on something in my reading that sparks my imagination and the post takes off from there. More often, I start with something around me, then go look for a suitable quotation. I have my own quote collection, compiled in a searchable file that I used for China's Book of Days. But I also search among the various quote gardens that are currently blooming online. That's where I found the Dickens' quote for this entry. I began using quotes extensively when I wrote Writing From Life, and have kept up the practice since. I love juxtaposing one text with another: the meanings of both are deepened and enriched.

[Phyllis Mullins]

I haven't spotted any wildflowers in this part of the Hill Country YET...and today being cold, drizzly, altogether miserable I won't get out to try to find any.
Incidentally are you still knitting socks? I am via Cat Bordhi's way of using 2 circular needles rather than the 4 or 5 as I used to. Much faster, fewer joins.

[Debi Bowers]

We had a report in our local paper of an early hummingbird siting here in Wimberley. I am looking forward to seeing some for myself, along with whatever wild flowers decide to pop up this year. I love the quotes you use to compliment your topic for the day. Tell me please, what resource(s) do you use for quotes? Does the topic come first and then the quote, or vice-versa?

[Jinni Turkelson]

I'll weigh in with another "WOW" form the frozen north (Michigan). What a beautiful flower! Our snow is trying to melt and I know the crocuses are under there waiting. I'm ready for them and for Spring! Thanks for sharing your Texas beauty.

[Linda Mandeville]

Is it early for a paintbrush? I didn't know they bloomed before bluebonnets. Did you know the Arboretum in Dallas has a Texas theme this year for it's Dallas Blooms? Along with the tulips and daffodils they are trying bluebonnets. We have had some good rains the past 2 weeks so hopefully they will have good luck.

[Kylee]

This is gorgeous! I don't think I've seen anything quite like it before. Like Nancy, we could use a little bit of color here in Ohio, too!

[Nancy Bond]

What a lovely splash of color! We could use a bit of that right about now, here in Nova Scotia. :)