Welp, today is the first full day of Spring, and I was baffled. I really want to take my own pictures for this challenge, and believe me…challenged I was. Yet with my journalistic background, I felt I had to tell the truth. So, going with my instincts, I am portraying a contrast for your enjoyment. Here is where a picture really is worth a thousand words.
Springtime in the Netherlands
And now, on the other side of the world is the contrast.
Springtime in Saskatchewan
The above pic is kind of misty. This is because there is snow falling, but you can’t see the flakes in this pic. Hence the following closeup.
I seem to be having trouble inserting links below in the related links area, so I will manually add them below. There are tons of beautiful and unusual spring pictures this week.
Related Links
Dorky Deb’s Blog – Deb – Weekly Photo Challenge: Spring – (dorkydeb.com)
Huffygirl’s Blog – Huffygirl – Weekly Photo Challenge: Spring – (huffygirl.wordpress.com)
Inside-Out -Marge Katherine Mercurio – Weekly Photo Challenge: Spring – (mkmercurio.wordpress.com)
Panicmonster.com – Panicmonster – Weekly Photo Challenge: Spring – (panicmonster.com)
Passionate About Pets – Barb – Weekly Photo Challenge – Spring – (passionateaboutpets.wordpress.com)
Spirit Lights the Way – Nancy Hatch – Photo Challenge Spring – (nrhatch.wordpress.com)
Summerfield84’s English Blog – Summerfield84 – Week Photo Challenge: Spring – (ensummerfield84.wordpress.com)
The Practical Dilettante – Seonaid – Weekly Photo Challenge: Spring – (thepractical dilettante.com)
What’s Bugging Me Today – Classy Rose – or not – Weekly Photo Challenge| Spring in Purple – (whatsbuggingmetoday.wordpress.com)
Fantasyfic 
I want to go to Holland. Right. Now!
Thanks for the Pics—we now have something to look forward to–besides the incessant rain on my clerestory windows!
Cheers!
MTE
LikeLike
Be thankful for one thing, Marsha. You don’t have to shovel rain 😛 Thanks for stopping by.
LikeLike
Wow! Love this post . . . mostly because I’m not camping in your backyard right now. Brr . . .
When Spring comes, it’s sure to be lovely. Here’s to melting snow and emerging blooms.
LikeLike
Yup, you’ve got it – if the severe winter hasn’t killed them, we have peonies, tulips (that we have penned off from our dogs who ate our first tulips), and blossoming trees and bushes. We had hanging baskets of flowers two years ago and I might go that route again, just because it was so lovely. Thanks for the pingback. If I ever get this all sorted out (which I’m working on as we speak), I will get my list of “Spring photos to look at :)”
LikeLike
Looks like you’ve got it sorted out! Thanks for the link up. 😀
LikeLike
You’re welcome for the link. You’re the one that got me started on it with your blog, so it is only justice that you get a link 😛
LikeLike
Pingback: Photo Challenge: Spring « Spirit Lights The Way
Hi Sandra, I love your interpretation of Spring, after all it is just a date on the calendar right now.
Have faith, you will see spring soon. Peonies are another flower I love, but then I love gardening so there aren’t too many I don’t like. Thanks for the mention. 🙂
LikeLike
You’re very welcome, Rose. I love the purple tulip you have on your page. It’s sort of poignant.
Yes, spring has to come soon. The temp is hovering around 0C (32F), just cold enough to make it snow instead of sleet or rain. I can’t wait for the lacy look the trees get when spring is coming…even if there IS snow on the ground 😛
LikeLike
I love your photos Sandra, the snowy ones remind me of back home in the UK, and I would love to see some of that right now. I live in the sub-tropics of Australia and we are sweltering even though we have just gone into our Autumn! So I viewed your pics of the snow with envy!
Oh, and thanks for the mention – much appreciated! There have been some great photos for the Weekly Photo Spring Challenge.
LikeLike
Thanks, Barb. I would willingly trade a few tons of our snow for some of your sweltering about now lol
Nancy at Spirit Shows the Way gave me the idea. I thought I had to take what Zemanta offered at the bottom when I am writing my blog. But no…duh…I can put whatever I want, so I did. I start with the folks on my blogroll first and then go on to folks I have been talking to or admiring their photos. I actually love this segment of WordPress and am very glad they came up with it.
LikeLike
Hi Sandra, Thanks for the link! The best thing is when all that snow melts off, the ground will be so moist and the life underneath will be popping out like crazy!
LikeLike
Hi, Marge,
You’re welcome for the link. Yeah, I am holding on to the thought of the snow melting and green life coming back to Saskatchewan. Hopefully, all this snow will be a boon for the farmers. I bet the Saskatchewan wheat soil hasn’t had this much moisture in decades 😛
LikeLike
Love this, Sandra! I used to live in NW Vermont, so I know about those 9 months of Winter, and 3 months of hard sledding! 😀 The photos make me think of the “Sesame Street” song-game, “One of these things is like the others, and one of these things is not the same. . .” 😀
BTW, in reference to our comments on Nancy Hatch’s SLTW, I am a big fan of $5 words – even when a penny one will do. I learned to love words from my father. I, too, struggle for simplicity, but often fall short! Witness this poem I wrote last year, and posted: http://paulatohlinecalhoun1951.wordpress.com/2010/08/26/k-i-s-s/
Only goes to prove what is said about “great minds. . .” We must think alike!
BTW, and it is completely understandable and a common mistake, but my first name is PAULA, and not Pauline. My paternal grandmother’s name was Pauline, and I was sort of named after her, but my folks said they didn’t think it would be fair to name me Pauline Tohline (Tohline is pronounced “t’LEEN). Since my grandmother had no choice – she married into the name, they decided not to voluntarily burden me with that little sing-song name! Anyway, since I use both names, (there are too few Tohline’s in the world – <25 – I want to preserve it as much as possible!), the "line" at the end of my middle name frequently gets mixed up with the "Paula" of my first!
Love your blog, and I'll be back!
LikeLike
Paula, I am so sorry about misusing your first name. If I could correct it, I would. (Nothing worse than misusing a person’s name! :()
I am very glad to find a fellow $5 word user. I have tried for years to ameliorate…er, I mean better my grasp of the benefits of the simple words. For one thing they are more expressive and for another thing they are cheaper because they don’t take up so much ink and paper 😛 I’m sure if we keep working at it, we’ll get it.
Your poem is hilarious and says exactly what I was trying to say in my post at Nancy’s site. That was a most entertaining and amusing blog and series of posts, and our little back-and-forth was fun (I had to restrain myself from saying contretemps lol).
I look forward to your future visits.
LikeLike
Sandra, the contrast between your two pictures says it all. Now why do you live in Saskatchewan again? 🙂 Anyway, thanks for the link.
LikeLike
Two words…medical benefits 😀
LikeLike
Ooops and I forgot to say you’re entirely welcome for the link. I thoroughly enjoy your blog, huffygirl 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you for the link. And you are correct, that is quite a contrast! I enjoyed your take on it. I sympathize, we were buried under much more snow than usual this winter. It is still hard to believe that the sun is finally shining bright here again.
LikeLike
You’re very welcome, Deb. It’s hard to believe that snow is so heavy and smothering. Well, it is right now because of the thawing, freezing, thawing, freezing. It’s like Old Man Winter can’t make up his mind. But Lady Spring is bound to kick him out sooner, rather than later. Isn’t she?
LikeLike
Ok, forget the slinky idea. This is way better! 🙂 Although snow covered your yard is beautiful. I sure do miss the snow. After moving out to Hong Kong….I’m lucky to put on a long sleeve shirt!
LikeLike
You have to admit the slinky WAS a good idea. However, I do like the contrasts here. Whereabouts did you come from where there was snow, and do you like Hong Kong?
Also, where’s the link to your site? You should put the link in your name, so people can just click on your name and go to your site. You do it through your Gravatar.
LikeLike
Well…I’ve been to Holland (like, 20 years ago but who’s counting?), now I just need to go to Saskatchewan! Someday… 😀
LikeLike
Fortunately, we have all four seasons–one month of Spring, one month of Summer, one month of Fall…and nine months of winter. Take your pick! 😛
LikeLike
Wow… I like the first pic.. I looks like the flowers sea…
So charming, and colorful..
Anyway, I ‘ve just published mine. I was kinda confused what picture to publish, ‘cuz I don’t have spring picture *but I got lots of flower pictures 🙂
LikeLike
Yeah, I like the first one too, Yori. I went to your site yesterday to look for your spring pic, so I’m glad you found something. I’m omw to look at it 🙂
Okay, back. Lovely flower. It makes me yearn for warmth and gentle breezes and the sun on my face. Thanks for dropping by.
LikeLike
The Netherlands: What a wonderful sunny spring day
The Other Side of the World: Just plain old BRRRRR…
Great photos though. While I don’t like really hot weather & prefer a cooler climate I have never had an attraction to snow. It says to me “TOO cold”.
LikeLike
Hi, Tony – thanks for stopping by. Yeah, considering that today is the third day of spring, I’m inclined to agree with you.
LikeLike
Beautiful picture of the Dutch flowers and beautiful picture of your arbor in the snow.
LikeLike
Thanks, marina. Now all I have to do is find a picture of the ocean lol Never mind, though, I have an idea, inspired by suggestions of others. 😛 Thanks for stopping by.
LikeLike