Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Friday, April 24, 2009

More Spring Blooms in our Yard


Even though we still don't have many leaves on our big trees yet, and even though it was 35 degrees on Wednesday morning this week, SPRING is HERE on the Cumberland Plateau. I showed pictures of some of our early bloomers (Crocus, Hyacinths, Daffodils, Forsythia, Pansies, and some of our Tulips) in previous blog posts. Today I'll show you pictures of our Redbud trees (we have two), more of our Tulips, and our Pink Dogwood. Hope you enjoy these pictures. Click on them to make them larger. Above is some of the branches of our gorgeous Pink Dogwood in our front yard. Below are more.







One of our two Redbud trees; The other one was featured in an earlier blog post.





The Redbud blossoms---up close and personal!!!! Nice, huh?







This is Peppermint Stick Tulip. This is a small tulip---and I almost wanted to lick it --like I would a lollipop. Yum!!!!




Peppermint Stick Tulip is opening up!!!!! Pretty, don't you think?




You would never guess---but this is Peppermind Stick Tulip opened totally up.. Isn't this a beautiful and unique tulip????? (Compare this picture with the two above!)



I love White Dogwoods----but there's something special about the Pink Dogwoods. I love ours!!!!!



Another picture of a close-up of our Pink Dogwood blooms




Here is a final picture of our Pink Dogwood. There is a legend, that at the time of the Crucifixion, the dogwood had been the size of the oak and other forest trees. So firm and strong was the tree that it was chosen as the timber for the cross on which Jesus was nailed.

After that time, the Dogwood never grew large enough to be used as a cross. It became slender and bent and twisted, and its blossoms were in the form of a cross. There were two long and two short petals, and in the center of the outer edge of each petal were nail prints. In the center of the flower was a crown of thorns. All who see this blossom will remember what Jesus Christ endured --just for US. Take another look at the above picture. God Bless ALL of You.
Hugs,