Spring

The first tree that was planted at our home was a cherry tree, purchased for Tony and I by my mom and dad.  I know that there are all sorts of lovely trees out there, but cherry's have always been one of my favorites - I love those girly pink flowers that seem to so happily announce that winter is, once and for all, behind us for another year.  I have wanted to take a picture of the blooms every year, and every year I've failed.  Usually a storm blows through right as the blooms reach their peak and in the morning the still tender branches have dropped all of their blossoms on the grass below them.


It's been unseasonably warm in Pennsylvania this year - we even had a ninety degree day last weekend.  But it is still early spring, and in this era of global nonsense you just don't know if you're going to have to put on sunscreen or a parka, it really could go either way.  Winter is all too eager to give us a quick smack down for letting us off the hook in March.  Yet May seems equally intent to usher in the peaceful laziness of summer... and so it yo-yo's until the heat of summer is upon us.   The flowers and trees all tentatively broke the earth in mid March - a bit dazed I'm sure, as they were woken from their winter slumber a good month and a half early.  Those of us who were versed in PA zone 6 wondered if a good frost would come along and crush all of their spirits, ruining our spring perennial gardens and shocking the trees.  And though I worried, and though I picked my cuticles one night agonizing over the state of the world and ice caps etc, I would be lying if I said that I haven't enjoyed each and every day of this warm weather and the gorgeous color that it has brought with it.

Each Tuesday and Thursday as I drove the girls to school I'd see our cherry tree.  I'd see the pink blooms scattered around the neighborhood as well, and have nearly careened off the road trying to snap a picture while driving.  Finally this morning, before any strong winds could take the joy away, I ran out front and snapped a few photos of our first tree.  It seems to be filled with all of the optimism that Tony and I had as we moved into our first home together.  We had no idea then that we'd  fill the rooms in less then 3 years with four babies.  We had no idea that jobs would be lost, and jobs would be gained.  We just knew that we wanted to build something happy together and each spring this tree reminds me of the hope and happiness that we set out to discover.  Welcome Spring!