I love this little miracle that happens every spring, and I couldn’t resist having ‘bud burst’ as this week’s words after seeing many beautiful examples when I was out walking on Monday.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

During winter, deciduous trees look so bare and barren, yet, safely enclosed within the protective cases of their ‘bud scales’, tiny leaves are beginning to grow. Then, once temperatures start to warm up, the trees’ roots absorb more water and the sap begins to rise. The leaf buds grow and swell to the point when their scales just can’t contain them any more and then, one day …

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Shazam! The buds burst out and begin to expand and soak up the spring sunshine!