Spring is here!

“Sam, come here fast!” called the ten year old Betsy.

“Coming! What’s it?” enquired her younger brother hurrying towards her.

“Look!” Betsy pointed. “See our cherry tree has blossomed.”

“How beautiful these pink flowers are!”

“Yes. Sam, did you see my patch of daffodils?”

“Betsy, they’ve started flowering too,” Sam said excitedly. “They look as golden as the butter we had today morning for breakfast.”

“Yes,” nodded Betsy. “Soon there will be many visitors.”

“Visitors?” Sam looked at his sister in confusion. “Mother’s friends are coming over today? But she didn’t say anything at breakfast time.”

“Sam, I’m not talking about Mother’s friends. These are our little friends in Nature. The bees, butterflies, robins and honey suckers.” Betsy said happily. “It’s Springtime!”

“Oh yes! They’re already here. Look, Betsy!” Sam pointed to a couple of tiny bees which hovered over the cherry blossoms and then made themselves comfortable on a flower which bent down with their weight. Once they had sipped all the nectar from the flower they flew to the next one.

“There comes a yellow butterfly. She’s going to the daffodils,” Betsy said softly. Her eyes eagerly followed the delicate movements of the butterfly.

“She’s so dainty,” whispered Sam. “She’s sitting on that daffodil. Look Betsy, see her wings fluttering.”

“She looks like a queen gently sitting on her throne,” Betsy said with admiration.

“Ohh... there she goes again. She heard Mr. Robin singing, there he comes!”

The children looked on as the bird glided into the topmost branch of their cherry tree and sang his heart out.

“Bravo! What a performance! Encore! Encore!” clapped Sam.

Mr. Robin cocked his head to one side and regarded them suspiciously with his sharp, beady eyes.

“Betsy, I’ll get some cake crumbs from Cook for Mr. Robin,” Sam said as he turned towards the house.

“There’s no need for that, Sam,” Betsy stopped him. “There are many insects around now. See, how Mr. Robin spotted something on that twig. He’s eating it.”

“Yuck! Are these insects tasty?” Sam grimaced as he watched the bird pecking around on the same twig.

“They’re a tasty morsel for Mr. Robin at least,” laughed Betsy.

“Maybe! I wouldn’t enjoy them at all,” Sam said making a face. “I’ll stick with bread and butter, puddings and roasts. They taste delightful and smell awesome.”

“Ahh... that reminds me. I’ll get my pair of scissors from my work basket and clip a few daffodils and roses for the dining table. They’ll make a lovely centrepiece for lunch. Mother will be very happy to have sweet smelling and beautiful flowers at the table,” Betsy said turning away.

“Good idea, Betsy. Father will be very proud of you,” Sam said following his sister. “I’ll help you also. And, as I didn’t get into any trouble at all today I could ask for second helpings of dessert at lunchtime. Do you know what it is?”

“Very clever!” observed Betsy with a laugh. “I think I heard Mother mentioning rice pudding to Cook.”

“Oh no! I thought we might be having a bread pudding with that lovely golden caramel. I’ve changed my mind about second helpings. You arrange the vases, I’m off to swing on the gate,” Sam said running off down the garden path.

Would you also like to join Sam and Betsy in their garden and listen to the birds singing on a fine Spring day under the blossoming cherry tree? Or do you have your own stories of a Spring day to share with me? Tell me about it in the comments.