Bud-dy, it is bloomin' marvellous

It is that time of the year when all is alive with blooms, buds, bugs, and green explosions. It is spring time in the metropolis. Seriously, after the slumber of winter the time when spring really kicks in is something miraculous in the city. You forget during the snow and leafless period that there are actually so many living things around you.

The last few days have been almost tropical with some bright warm sun then heavy afternoon showers only to fine up again. It has created a huge surge in life in the urban environment. Soon there will be wild flowers growing up through cracks, grasses taking over steps and trees branching out into walkways torturing pedestrians and humanised buggies that are prams. It is a great battle for the next 6 months as the green environment starts to dominate what during the white ice and snowy times feels like only concrete and hard surfaces. I popped out with the macro lens on the weekend to find some examples of what is around and abound.

Young and delicate

Budding out

Poland Pollen

A supermarket, oh no it is a real ladybird

Entomologist porn

A pop of colour

Apple blossoms

The old and the withered

Wrinkled past and crisp new growth

Some colour in these leaves

A baby elderflower.

Bud

Black and White flora

Like a whirling dervish

Ready to burst

Spiky and phallic

A rosehip prepares to bloom.

Australian Wedding

When we popped back into Australia last year we went to a wedding, it was one of the reasons we went back at that time of the year. It was a good Greek friend of mine and so it was an Orthodox ceremony. There are lots of photos, so I won't bother talking too much, or label every photo.

Greek classic, BBQ'd octopus with olive oil, lemon and a little salt. Amazing

The big day

And the happy couple stroll off into the sunset.

Polish Wedding

One of the biggest things on the Polish calendar is the wedding season, which is only just around the corner now. Last year I got my first taste of a Polish wedding (other than mine of course). We popped along to see a friend of Marty's tying the knot in one of the cities more popular churches on Plac Zbawiciela. We were running late as we had forgotten the metro would be closed for the day at the stop we needed to get off and so had to walk from the one before it. So, instead of barging in we hung around at the door. It was an amazingly warm day and the cool breeze flowing from the church was a nice refreshment. Standing outside let us see what the Polish wedding season is like. There was a wedding party taking photos from the last wedding that had just been there, there was of course the wedding in progress and then there was the people gathering for the next wedding. It didn't really seem to have an end to it. Seems like a great business if you can get into it, tax free and always in need.

Angels about inside

 

It is a pretty plac. Worth skipping around while you wait for the next wedding.

The bride and groom walk a red carpet.

The church stands out a fair bit being white

A pillar of the community

No this isn't our bride and groom, just the ones from the previous wedding getting the pics done on a tram line....romantic.

Just to show you the magic of photography, and tram wires.

A really nice difference of cut out hearts instead of rice, confetti, salt, whatever you want to throw.

Legs and shoes, and hearts and tattoos.

Ready girls.

Handfuls of petals

Make you giggle

Prepared.

Ready to attack

Enjoying the rain of petals

Is it the 1960's? No, just time for a sensible tie and a short sleeved shirt.

Beaming.

Telling tales

Kisses and colours

Fashion gurus are abound.

celebratory beers