Spring? Whenever.

Day 44 - 09:05am, 13 February 2019

Each day, I scan the trees on the riverbank in the hope of seeing buds. Or perhaps, more accurately, the hope that there will be something new to report in the photo. But there is not. The trees are as bare as they were yesterday, a week ago, a month ago and on the 1st January. 

I realise I don't actually know when I should expect to see the trees budding! I have experienced the changing seasons in Edinburgh for over 40 years, but other than knowing it will happen in Springtime, I am none the wiser as to when 'Spring' should be. The bushes in my garden have been in bud for at least the past week and so I guess I naively assumed that the trees would be close behind, given our proximity. 

So when I look up the first day of Spring online, I am surprised at just how late Spring is - 1 March from a meteorological perspective and 20 or 21 March from an astronomical perspective. I like the fact that there are two dates to choose from. I also like the fact that the trees care nothing for our calculations but are able to see, feel and calculate time for themselves. Maybe they should be the final arbiters of when the new season springs.