hiding in plain sight

at some point in late february i start noticing the vibrant yellow branch tips of our massive weeping willows. the willow are here all winter with their long flaxen hair, but at some point in late february or early march, that flaxen hair turns a vivid golden yellow. i’ve spent the past 30 minutes googling a possible explanation for this: has the sap already begun to run? is there some late winter casing? are they swelling and the light is catching them differently?  I can’t find anything online. surely i am not the first to observe this. i’ve been noticing it ever since i started STILL. maybe henry david thoreau. if anyone would have noticed this, it would have been old anal-retentive hank. ok, where did i store those journals of his? hmm. well it’s been great. gotta go.

weeping willow twig bundle