Spring 2012 is started

Spring 2012 is officially started

I can say today that Spring is arrived in Siena country side. Until a few days ago the temperature has been very warm, often more than 20ºC. Something was anyway missing: Water. All the winter this year has been very warm and dry, with the exception of one week in February that brang water, snow and real cold (as cold as -12ºC!). Without new rain the Spring could not really take off.

The past week we finally had some rain, with temperature anyway falling below 14ºC. The humid weather seems continuing trough all this week, with more rain expected from Thursday to Sunday. Then eventually temperature will raise again.

It seems that the little water that finally arrived from the sky has started to unlock this 2012 Spring for real. This was confirmed to me by finding a few clear sign that spring is coming.

1. I saw yesterday the first two Swallows! Even if there is an old say "A swallow does not make Spring", this came together the following strong evidences.
2. Since a few days the fruit trees are already in blossom, specifically Cherry and Almond trees (pictured Cherry and Almond tree flowers).
3. Just since now sitting below the fruit trees in blossom you hear a strong humming sound of young bees enjoying the nectar.
4. Today I found two cowslips (Primula Veris, pictured) growing in the forest, a very strong symbol of Spring!
5. As well I found just one Violet (Viola Violaceae, pictured) and a few of other purple flowers, also blossoming in the beginning of Spring, still in the forest.
6. Grass is raising almost as you watch it, and for the first time this year we have to think where we left the lawn mower as it will come back into use very soon.
7. Just now while writing this blog the first flyer of the season starts to disturb me (not all the things that Spring brings are joyful...)

The nature however still has to express herself in full color potentials: besides some flowers, the land is still in big part green, due to the wheat cultures, and in other smaller part brown, as these lands are still waiting to be sown with Sunflowers, that will grow early may to finally blossom in June. Late May will also blossom yellow the Broom (Cytisus and Genista).
So, a visitor today would still see a pretty winter scenario, especially for the Forests in which trees have still not germinated the gems and look pretty much leafless. The main charming facts is seeing the green of the wheat fields with typical soft hills and waves of the Siena country areas, as well as feeling the upcoming Spring explosion by the first blossomed trees and flowers.




For visiting I still recommend from late May to late June or early July to see the most colorful variations and Sunflowes in their beauty.