It's official

Spring is here. Finally. Seems like winter is so much longer than the warmer weather. I am looking forward to improving my photography skills in sunny, balmy summer weather.

This is a pussy willow cutting that a friend of a friend gave me. The cutting given to me is in water. I am hoping for roots to sprout so I can plant it out by the creek.

Cute story on how the Pussy Willow got its name.

According to an old Polish legend, many springtime?s ago a mother cat was crying at the bank of the river in which her kittens were drowning. The willows at the river's edge longed to help her, so they swept their long graceful branches into the waters to rescue the tiny kittens who had fallen into the river while chasing butterflies. The kittens gripped on tightly to their branches and were safely brought to shore. Every spring-time since, goes the legend, the willow branches sprout tiny fur-like buds at their tips where the tiny kittens once clung.

Happy Spring!