The Blooming Spring Season in Photos

After the dead of winter — a season I cherish for many reasons — new life appears in fragile tendrils of verdant growth. Spring is my favorite season with trees bursting with flowers, but all it takes is a sweeping storm and plummeting temperatures to freeze those tender buds. When a May snowstorm ravaged our area with a few inches of snow on Monday, I worried that it would ruin everything.

This poor-quality gif was made with my iPhone at the very start of the storm.

I woke up in the middle of the night to shake off the trees. 3:30 AM. Yep, I’m into it. Somehow the night became warmer, and most of the snow melted from the limbs.

Several days have passed. So far, so good. Yesterday, I cupped apple blossoms in my hands and took in the aromatic fragrance lingering in the air. The fruit trees might make it after all.

It has been years since we had an apple harvest. Frost in April often nips the buds. This year, snowstorms kept the trees from budding, and they waited patiently for warmer temperatures. They aren’t always that smart.

Have you ever been so enraptured by nature’s beauty, you want it to last the whole season? I’ve always found the momentary flush of flowers so frustrating, so I’m embracing the season while it lasts.

Whenever I get the chance, I walk in the yard and inhale the sweet scent perfuming the air. Then I go inside and sneeze for a half hour. It’s the price I pay.

This tree has lost its bark on one side from winter burn when it was a sapling. A landscaper recommended removing the tree. No way. Instead, I sit under its spreading limbs. It’s one of my favorites.

I can see the Prairifire crabapple through my kitchen window while sunlight plays with its vibrant color.

It’s a great start to my favorite season — summer!

What’s your favorite season? I’ve never been able to choose one. Are you allergic to trees?