Yesterday was incredibly nice and I had fortunately planned to meet up with a friend in the city to go on a photography outing. We strolled through our city's largest university campus and found many things to capture. That's when I spotted the planter filled with flowers and pussy willows.
In the past, it was Lillies of the Valley that always made me think of Spring. They were not common in Montreal, but I think it was their perceived rarity (at the time) that made them so special to me. They are also one of the few flowers that truly have a lovely edible aroma. These little white bells propped on green stems often made me think of fairy tales where the fairies would wear them as hats! Lillies of the Valley are just as common here but it was the Pussy Willow tree that caught my attention.
We had a small willow tree on the property of our first home. Every Spring I would check to see how many Pussy Willows there would be. To my delight, more often than not, the branches were covered with them! They always amazed me ... the soft furry bulge that would eventually disapear. Pussy Willow is basically a 'given' name for the male catskins that grow on various willow trees.
According to wikipedia - The Pussy Willow is a favourite flower for Chinese New Year because there are numerous blossoms on a branch, the fluffy buds look silky, and the blossoms give forth to young shoots the colour of green jade. They are also used in religious Easter celebrations in lieu of Palm branches which can be difficult to find in some countries.
As a child, I sometimes read this magazine for youth (maybe 'Owl' or 'Chickadee') and once there was a beautiful story about Pussy Willows which were in fact little curled up kittens. I can't remember the details of the story but I do remember the enchanting illustration. From then on, it was easy to imagine little kittens on a branch. Meow ... prrr prrrrr
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