You might remember that last October, during the peak of fall color, I took a photo walk in Laurel Hill Cemetery and wrote about it here.
Though I didn’t blog about it, I visited in January, too, when I had to climb a snowbank to capture this view:
This week I went back to catch a bit of the glorious spring that we New Englanders waited for so patiently (or not!) during a very long winter. Now the trees are lacy with new leaves, and from the same spot, the view looks like this:
I’ve been here many times before to photograph the daffodil display in April and early May. In fact, I’d gone a few days earlier with my friend Susan. We talked about how, even though neither of us really needs any more daffodil photos, it seems a rite of spring, a sort of victory celebration, to go take them every year. Another winter has passed and we survived!
It’s so hard to cconvey the feeling of it — the sheer scope of whole hillsides covered in yellow and white blossoms. Or maybe it only seems so overwhelming because the world has been black and white and grey and cold for so long.
Aside from the little guy above, there was no one else around, and so I wandered about, shooting more daffodils with my Nikon. (It’s hard to stop — they really are irresistible.) Then I made my way down to the bottom of the hill and saw them from an angle I’d never seen before.
I took this photo and a couple of panoramas, including the one in my header, with my iPhone. These feel like I’ve come closer than ever before to capturing that broad sweep of flowers against the background of river and trees that I’ve always wanted.
There are hundreds of thousands of bulbs here, and I’m sure there must be hundreds of varieties. And wildflowers, too. The mosaic above is only a small sampling.
Tearing myself away from the daffodils, I wandered among the old grave markers, marveling at the beauty everywhere I looked. Grass that was carpeted with colorful leaves last fall and blanketed with snow all winter is now sprinkled with violets.
Many graves are planted with beautiful spring bulbs and other flowers.
Others have been decorated by Nature’s own hand.
The crabapple trees were just on the verge of bursting into full bloom.
Of course I had to stop by the chapel again, to marvel at how different it looks now from October and January.
The building looks bare wearing only a tracery of vines without their customary covering of shiny, dark green leaves.
Soon the tulips will be gone, the rhododendron will have bloomed, and those vines will hide the grey stone walls and try to cover the windows of the old chapel with leaves.
I’ll leave you with a look down the same lane I closed with last autumn . . .
. . . and one last peek at the daffodils as the sun goes down, a view that won’t come again for another year. The comfort is in knowing that it will come, no matter how long the seasons in between. The cycle goes on.
I love coming here in any season, for the solitude, the peace, and the natural beauty of this special place. I’m already planning to bring my camera back in full summer, when the trees will be in leaf and the grass filled out and deep green. I’m looking forward to seeing what surprises await me then.
May 19, 2015 at 7:40 am
Nice shots. This is one of our favorite places to walk.
May 19, 2015 at 8:07 am
So beautiful, and I bet it smelled amazing too. I wish your blog had a scratch-and-sniff feature! 🙂
May 19, 2015 at 8:54 am
Now I would love to be buried there, gorgeous place to photograph.
May 19, 2015 at 8:56 am
What a beautiful expose, Leon! I love the contrast of the seasons and you’ve helped me imagine this expanse of daffodils with your wonderful shots. What a gift!
May 19, 2015 at 12:30 pm
Gorgeous!
May 19, 2015 at 1:07 pm
BEAUTIFUL !
May 19, 2015 at 1:35 pm
This is beautiful!! Your images and your words. How I would love to walk through these flower with you!
May 19, 2015 at 2:31 pm
Laurel Hill looks like it gives back beauty in any season. I’m especially enjoying your spring bonanza of blooming bulbs, perennials, and wildflowers since it continues to snow in Breckenridge. Thank you for taking me along with these fabulous shots. The Header is marvelous!
May 19, 2015 at 11:54 pm
The daffodil hills are breath taking! What a fantastic view. This is where I picture Wordsworth, writing his famous poem!
May 20, 2015 at 9:15 am
I love cemeteries like this one. And I especially love these photos of the same cemetery at different times of the year. One of the things I’m doing in London is going to Highgate Cemetery. I image it will look very different from this bucolic setting with its undulating hills!
May 21, 2015 at 8:38 pm
What a wonderful, wonderful series. I loved seeing this peaceful and beautiful place in all its seasonal glory. There is certainly something to be said for visiting the same place throughout the year and bearing witness to the changes.
May 27, 2015 at 10:08 am
I’m so glad that I finally have found your blog. It’s raining here in Wisconsin today, glad I have a beautiful set of pictures to look through…your photos are stunning!
May 27, 2015 at 10:31 am
So beautiful and lovely gallery;
My very best wishes for you and your great creative adventures, ❤
July 8, 2015 at 2:40 pm
Such a lovely series of images. I really enjoyed the two first photos taken at different seasons.