On my return from Cornwall I noticed how green the Southwell Trail was looking. In the space of a week the leaves had appeared and spring had truly sprung, as they say.
Considering this further, I wondered whether the term ‘spring’ does relate to the speed of change or whether there is another reason for naming the season.
Okay, it may be a daft question but I genuinely had not considered it before!
In search for an answer I came across the online etymology dictionary's definition of spring:
"season following winter, the vernal season, c. 1400, earlier springing time (late 14c.), which replaced Lent, the Old English word. From spring (v.); also see spring (n.3). The notion is of the "spring of the year," when plants begin to rise (as in spring of the leaf, 1520s), from the noun in its old sense of "action or time of rising or springing into existence."
The first two images below feature the leafless trail in mid April, followed by a selection of spring scenes one week later:
A couple of days later the coverage was even more green:
Also blooming were the snowy white flowers of the Blackthorn trees which are often confused with Hawthorn. The flowers are very similar but Blackthorns flower before leaves appear whereas Hawthorn trees flower later in spring after the leaves have developed.
Considering this further, I wondered whether the term ‘spring’ does relate to the speed of change or whether there is another reason for naming the season.
Okay, it may be a daft question but I genuinely had not considered it before!
In search for an answer I came across the online etymology dictionary's definition of spring:
"season following winter, the vernal season, c. 1400, earlier springing time (late 14c.), which replaced Lent, the Old English word. From spring (v.); also see spring (n.3). The notion is of the "spring of the year," when plants begin to rise (as in spring of the leaf, 1520s), from the noun in its old sense of "action or time of rising or springing into existence."
The first two images below feature the leafless trail in mid April, followed by a selection of spring scenes one week later:
A couple of days later the coverage was even more green:
Also blooming were the snowy white flowers of the Blackthorn trees which are often confused with Hawthorn. The flowers are very similar but Blackthorns flower before leaves appear whereas Hawthorn trees flower later in spring after the leaves have developed.
No comments:
Post a Comment