It seems appropriate that the first buds to open in spring are little catkins dressed in fur coats. You can see why they still might need winter coats around here – the days are still frosted at the edges.
I came across these pussy willows quite by accident this morning – something told me to walk just a little further, and look just a little more carefully. They are just coming to life.
© Karen McRae, 2013
draw and shoot 
With wind chills well below zero, these are sweet reminders of the longer days and promises of increasing warmth!
They are sweet reminders – I was happy to spot them.
more warm days soon, I think!
Stunning photos!
Thank you!
These photographs are amazing…..Cold beauty and warm beauty live together.
So beautiful, Karen !!
It was a sparkling morning. Of course right now it’s snowing again!
Thank you very much. : )
A beautiful selection – so full of promise!
Yes, eventually we will have spring…I hope!
Thanks, Louis.
so gorgeous! Awe-inspiring!
Thanks very much. I’m glad you think so!
So beautiful Karen. The pussy willows are lovely but it’s the picture of the grass, cloaked in frost, that is my favourite. Composition, colour, bokeh.. just perfect. 🙂
I agree!
The grass looks so incredibly fragile, doesn’t it? Thanks very much.
As they come such early in the spring, they even wear fur coat, hence Japanese
call them ねこやなぎ ／ Cat Willow = exactly the same idea.
From those pretty photos I feel your relaxed warm eyes.
Thanks, Yoshizen. It’s amazing how they can grow in all the cold and snow we’ve been having. Yes, Cat willows – I think the third image looks like a sleeping kitten. : )
i can’t bear this winter anymore 😦 not even your lovely photos are bolstering me against this miserable 6 month winter
It seems like you’ve had a tough go of it with very little sun. Even though it becomes very cold here we get a fair amount of sun and the snow brightens everything up so it doesn’t seem too dismal. Hang in there, spring will come.
at least you dont seem to live where there are a lot of people around. Do you have cabin fever at any time though?
I do live in a city of over one million people (I guess it’s hard to tell from my photographs) but I live near a greenbelt with land and water surrounding much of my community. Downtown is just 15 minutes away, so I have both worlds at my doorstep, in a way.
Nature can be extreme in beautiful and harsh ways. We have already had the snowdrops (flowers) here in England which is a sure sign that spring is on the way (i’m hoping). : )
Wishing you some sun for your garden, Matt! : )
‘little catkins dressed in fur coats’. That’s as poetic as your beautiful pictures.
Thanks, Ashley. They seem to think spring is happening but there are very few other signs!
such delicate beauty…always inspiring and so well observed thank you for sharing
Thanks very much, Veronica.
The promise is just that.. but a promise ,,,sigh
Ah, so many frustrated souls waiting for spring…
Hope you are well, Helen! : )
Again a wonderful collection of icy crystals; I love the first, third and seventh shots, really nice!
Thanks you, Jesús. I wonder if this may be the last of the icy crystals for now. Time will tell.
The fur and the frost. Such joy and beauty!
Thanks, Elena! It made me very hopeful to find these little guys!
Have a lovely weekend – hopefully full of sunshine and warmth.
The warmth in your frozen shots is to be cherished!
Thanks, Patti!
No one has taken pictures of pussy willows like this, Karen.
I wonder if you’re right? How rarely they would be frosted like this, I was happy to find them. : )
Super images Karen! You do indeed seem to be getting a bit of Spring!
A tiny bit of spring. The other sign of spring here is that I have spotted a pair of Great Horned Owls nesting. I don’t know how they manage to nest in such cold every year!
Thank you, Phil.
Wonderful, you really get to see them, and describe them. I might be searching for spring too. Got inspiration, but might be hard to find, yet.
I hope you find a little promise of spring, Bente. It is slow coming for sure. Thank you!
Wow, I’m glad you walked a little further – and I’m glad you’re such a good photographer. We had just one instance of frost like this around here this winter, at least that I saw. Next year I’m going to be really looking out for frost. The grass looks just impossible somehow – otherworldly & stunning. You create a wonderful world with these.
Thanks very much for your kind words. The frosted grass is so fragile and momentary – not possible for very long. I hope you find some lovely frost next season, it really adds a bit of magic to the winter.
There is a sweet tenderness to these – happy you went just a little further down the path – K
Thanks, Kathleen.
Isn’t it wonderful when you go that extra distance and find the treasure! Really delicious details here, and such lovely compositions. Beautiful!
It really is nice when you find something interesting you weren’t expecting. It’s sort of surprising how often it happens, actually.
Thanks very much, Melanie!
Wow. This looks so alive and warm and personal. It makes me remember a childhood memory. Except I can’t really. It’s just there below the surface. Your images touch childhood spring.
Sounds much like trying to grasp a few bits of a dream as it slips away. I like how it makes you think of childhood – they haven’t lost their magic… Thank you, Steven.
They look like little bunny paws…so delicate….
Bunny paws, yes. So soft and hopeful.
Your words match the prettiness, and chill, of these images perfectly, “You can see why they still might need winter coats around here – the days are still frosted at the edges.”
Thanks, Marina. Yes, a slow coming-on of spring this year. You must be happy in LA! : )
you found it Karen 🙂
Yes, just a snatch of it! : )
wow, your images are always so captivating!
Thank you, that’s very nice to hear.
Absolutely beautiful, Karen. Glad you took the time to take a closer look.
Thanks, Erica.
Spring sprouting!!!! Ah, Karen, you’ve captured Spring’s first touch!
🙂
that’s a lovely way to describe it, Marina.Thank you.
Incredible close-ups…luv em.
Thanks, Hansi!
Incredibly beautiful!
I’m happy you think so, Allen. Thank you!
“Something told me to walk just a little further . . . .” You truly are in tune with nature. I love pussy willows, and your captures of them are beautiful.
Thanks, Patricia. Yes, I think it’s trusting your intuition in a way. It leads me to very interesting things sometimes.
Wonderful, as always Karen. The photo of the grass is soooo beautiful, lovely shot !
Thank you!
They look like they’re in tiaras too and showing off. Beautiful shots, Karen.
Momentary tiaras. Show it off while you’ve got it!
Thanks, Richard.
Oh wow!!! how do you sleep at night producing such beautiful images again and again? My ego would explode and never shut up! hehehe:) They are all beautiful but I absolutely love the colour of the blue one. gosh, I can see your Spring!
Ha! Well I do manage to sleep a little. ; )
Thanks for your very sweet and entertaining comment, Gigi!
A slow spring, but hopefully steady!
Wow, lovely shots of the ice crystals on the buds!
Happy Spring!
Thank you, a happy find!
Happy Spring! : )
Great photos, and I love that concept of little catkins dressed in fur coats.
Thank you, Laurie. It’s amazing how they manage to come out when it’s still often -10c at night. Somehow they know it’s spring.
Happy spring to you!
Oh what a gift of joy!!! That first one – life 🙂
Yes, it’s so nice to see some growth. Even with a snow covering most of the ground the tree buds are starting to swell. Thanks, Carla!
A beautiful hint of spring, Karen. Love the contrast in textures of the delicate ice particles on the pussy willows. Thank you, as always!
Thank you, Jane.!
The visuals & the term Feathered Frost could be a good way of describing climate change. Everything is just off kilter enough to tell you there is a change coming.
Beautiful compositions, even though those buds will not be too happy. 🙂
Oh yes, climate change and everything off kilter. Thanks for your comments!
Ah, “Kätzchen”* in Canada. 🙂
And how beautiful you ‘portrayed’ them, Karen.
Over here there are none to be seen yet. Easter temperatures are between 15 and 25°C lower than around the winter solstice.
Hi Sean, you have taught me a new word, thank you. : ) Where in the world are you exactly? It is to be -10C here tonight so I sympathize with you.
A delicate beauty here — you have a keen eye to notice these and take wonderful close-ups of them.
Uff, I am late with my reply; sorry, Karen, somehow notifying does not work.
Well, ‘Kätzchen’ is German (the diminuative of Katze, thus ‘little cat’), and I do live in Germany, Lower Saxony. Easter morning temperatures were around -5°C, while end of December we had +15°C. Quite unusual.
And now I do have a question, too: How did you manage that your colon and bracket did not transform into that yellow nuisance? : )
Eureka! : )
There you go, it’s all in the spacing. : )
amazing shots