A few days ago, I began adding to my Piney Woods Church Road walk a few furtive glances for signs of spring. I have been watching, in particular, for daffodils to emerge from the soil — there are quite a few clusters of them growing in and alongside a pasture about halfway on my walk. Alas, no luck yet. Imagine my surprise today when I discovered a dandelion — not a budding flower stalk, or even an open flower, but a seed head, waiting for the wind. It is a marvelous reminder of all that I have missed this year. Somehow, the flower stalk emerged and bloomed and produced seeds during January and early February, all without my noticing. But today I paused to take this photograph. After snapping half a dozen shots, as I was about to stop and be on my way home, the sun emerged from a cloud. A lovely moment on a Saturday afternoon in not-yet-springtime.
