Willpower.

Lessons from nature on how to push through.

Nature photo of the day: dandelion rising.

seven years ago, to the date,
more than a foot of snow blanketed the lawn
in a chilling spring 
which honored the true presence of winter
seven years later, in the present moment,
the sun is shining 
on a greening carpet of leaves
leaving nothing to the imagination
spring has sprung
one can hear the land shout
as the soil pushes the flowers out
by the dozens and the thousands
the leaves wearing dishevelled coats of clay
and mud
there's no turning back 
once you have emerged
there's no place to hide
once you have been seen
as you accept that growing is the only way
you will ever find the power
that has been kept secret inside
dig down into the earth
with your toes and your roots
to find your balance in this insane world
it's there you will find 
the willpower to survive
and continue on 
your greatest quest 
of all time

- Cheryl M.

Yesterday the plants weren’t taking no for an answer.

Despite the -2°C morning temperature, the sun was out and the dandelions, warmed from below, decided that now was the time to unfurl their leafy limbs and stretch towards the stars. The garlic and onions are already further ahead, but that’s just how they roll.

Dandelion shoots, perennial garlic, walking onions and spring crocuses on a cold day.

The crocuses are up and out of the ground, but still hesitant to open up in the cold winds. It’ll only be a day or two, till they will feel comfortable enough to share their pollen with the earliest arriving insects. Speaking of which, the wasps in the living room wall have woken up, much to our dismay… we thought that maybe they would leave their nest, as European hornets do every year, but apparently the willpower of the wasp has proven us wrong.