Patiently Waiting for Spring

I love this painting. I don't know who the artist is,  I have searched and searched with no success. (UPDATE: It's Childe Hassam, thanks Liz!)  I must have torn it out of a magazine or book years ago, and I have had it in my sewing room for years. But for me it expresses the waiting we all experience with gardening. Patiently waiting for blooms, patiently waiting for spring.  Last weekend we were working in the garden, pruning and cleaning out the beds, and this past Sunday it snowed. Big, wet snowflakes all afternoon.  But yesterday the sun was out and it finally felt like spring was in the air. The neighborhood kids were all outside playing, riding bikes and playing ball. I weeded the front garden for about an hour, that sun just felt so good even though the garden is really too wet to do much. I took inventory of my pots and tools, my seeds, checked my succulents that have been wintering in the garage.  It looks like most have survived, although a few look pretty bedraggled. I walked around the yard looking for signs of life (buds on the tree peony!) The birds are chirping a little more. No daffodils yet, but they are taller,  there's hope at least.