Usually I know I will make it through winter when, sometime in late January, I walk out of my office and realize it is after 6 PM but still light outside. I celebrate that day every year, but this year has been a bit different. Even though I still celebrated, the longer than usual, on again, off again, mostly off again, spring - on top of the world collapsing before our eyes - has greatly contributed to my inability to even begin to rise above the mild seasonal affective disorder that plagues me each year. I finally got outside last night to photograph my favorite part of my magnolia trees as they are beginning the end of their blooming cycle. Forward progress. I have to remind myself that two steps forward and one step back is still forward progress. Even if one of those steps is me tripping and falling face first into the dirt, it’s still forward progress and I’ll take those small victories.
I was grateful the magnolias bloomed this year since many years they are bitten by a hard freeze mid-bloom, which then die on the tree in a sad, limp, brown show. Next up will be my daughter’s cherry tree, the blooms of which you see on the front cover of this portfolio. The buds are out and as long as we don’t get a hard freeze this weekend (which is quite likely - sad face), it will be in full bloom over the next couple of weeks.
