Much like this crocus, which I almost missed entirely, the Lenten rose has come into bloom without fanfare or announcement, so I almost missed it, given the late date of my garden examination and clean-up. Happily, the blooming season of the Hellobores is rightfully renowned for its duration, even if it has been known to bloom through the snow at precisely the point when it’s likely to be missed.
I finally got around to start the yard cleaning, and I was on my fifteenth lawn bag or so of leaves and branches and debris when the sight of this Lenten rose stopped me in my tracks. Maybe it was the sunlight glinting through its pink petals, or the surprising warmth of the day, but it felt like I was seeing it for the first time – and I heard the universe whispering in stern voice to pause and take in the spring days, even when they feel dreary.
The wintry rush that formed the bulk of April had me wanting to hurry into May, but the laws of science have it that an object in motion tends to stay in motion – and if the motion is increasing, it’s more and more difficult to slow things down. We will want the days to slow to a leisurely trickle come summer, and this is the time to start practicing that.
