Spring blossoms...

One of my greatest pleasures in life is my little dogwood tree. It lives in a corner of our back yard, surrounded by azaleas, and another, smaller dogwood at the other end of the bed. It endures winter blankets of snow, a blazing hot sun, squirrels and birds squabbling on its branches, and obnoxious farm weeds and mulberries invading its space.

Every year I patiently wait for it to start showing signs of life; 'round or about February/March, little buds start to appear. By the middle of April, color begins to show on the branch tips and seemingly overnight, it bursts into the most glorious bloom.

It's a beautiful little tree and consistently outperforms it's younger, less cooperative neighbor. I paid all of $8 for it from K-Mart back in 1981. The younger tree cost $50 (!) from a nursery about 5 years ago and I've had to pamper and baby the damn thing ever since. The only thing it's doing this season is living... no blossoms. Go figure! So much for quality!

Anyway, here's my baby yesterday...

The Dogwood Tree
by W. Jo Carter

Under the forest thicket
And across the sunny plain
The spreading branches
Of the dogwood tree
Announce the coming of spring.

The dogwood changes with the seasons
Creating beauty throughout the year
Pink or White flowers
Scarlet fall foliage
Red berries when winter is near.