AZALEAS

I left my porch to walk around my small piece of the earth to assess damage from an untimely storm the night before.  As I turned a corner, my world stopped as I beheld the pink azalea.

While it had shown signs of  "strutting its stuff"  a few days earlier, it had literally burst into full bloom over night. I had to run back up the stairs for the camera to capture the moment, so to speak.

I love this time of year, whether it comes in February, March, or April. The whole town fills with the lovely colors of the azaleas. Citrus trees bloom prolifically and especially the orange blossoms fill the air with a delicate fragrance. Everything begins to turn green again. Bulbs sprout, eager for the change in season. It's garden planting time again and things grow quickly.

Walks are especially enjoyable, with the crisp breezes of morning or the sun's massage on the back of the neck in the afternoon.

Cardinals have nested in two of my citrus. Bees are plentiful and busy pollinating the blossoms. There's a group of baby sand hill cranes over on Lake Stella. I see them every day on the way to the gym and back.

My heart is filled with gratitude for being able to have this experience of Spring returning.

Even if its stay is so very brief, it sets the stage for a whole new year of life continuing on its way.