Harbingers of Spring

One of the first trees to break bud in winter, usually in February around here, pussy willows are iconic harbingers of spring. At the market, buckets of branches appear and beg to be taken home. Soft, fluffy, silky catkins, march like silvery bunnies along twiggy branches. I just love the contrast in textures.

One of my favorite ways to display these lovelies, is in my old French harvest basket. Overnight, I soak 2 blocks of Oasis in water. The following day, I fit the saturated blocks into a low plastic container, and then set the container snugly into the base of the basket. Then I re-cut the branches, and poke them into the foam until the arrangement looks airy and casual.

Placed on the wall in the back entry, I find it irresistible to walk by without petting a few!

Happy arranging!

Love, Nora