Spring has sprung?

As I write this the weather in Greece is absolutely glorious, warm and gentle, with the sun shining throughout the day and a gentle breeze. This is very appropriate given that today is a Greek National Holiday - 25th of March, celebrated as the anniversary of the 1821 uprising against the Ottoman Empire, which culminated in the modern state of Greece (Hellas) - and a big religious celebration (the Feast of the Annunciation) to boot.

Nature is a bit confused at the moment, to be honest: bits are flowering, celebrating the good weather, while others are reluctant to follow suit, as it may be too early. Could it be that freezing weather is just around the corner again, waiting to punish the foolish buds that have erupted prematurely?

Luckily nobody really knows what's around the corner, despite all the pronouncements. Even all the people eager to sell you a view of your future have no idea what will really happen with our future/weather/plants/whatever. So plants may flower today and, despite all their experience over the years and all they may have suffered in the past, they may pay for it shortly thereafter. In the immortal style of the orange person - SAD!

Still, colour is appearing everywhere, optimistic and happy - shades of green, red, pink, orange (!!!), purple - lifting our spirits and making us smile a bit more. We are anticipating warmer, longer days, lighter, brighter clothing, indolence; why we can practically feel it all.

For my part I am really looking forward to the summer, when the colours will start fading in the heat and the sea will simmer invitingly; alas it is still some way off. The weather will still play cat and mouse with us for some time to come, I fear.

P.S. : When I started writing this it was the 25th of March and the weather was, indeed, glorious, warm and gentle. However, as of this morning (28th March) it has decided to show its teeth a little bit, being dark, moody, rainy, cool and certainly not magnificent. And it will change again and again, for sure, hopefully without disrupting nature too much. As city dwellers our main preoccupations with these fluctuations concern what we are to wear and whether an umbrella might be necessary, but spare a thought for all those involved in agriculture of any kind, where one unexpected change in the weather may result in even the whole of the year's crop being lost. THAT is a hard life, not getting one's shoes a bit wet, dear reader, even if they are an expensive brand...