Springstagram

I am so glad that spring is here. The weather lately has been absolutely perfect.

Thanks to the bizarre 80 degree days weeks in March, most of the plants have peaked about a month early. Nearly all of the trees have leaves now and everything is in bloom. I've been taking advantage of the nice weather at work with twice-daily walks around campus, snapping Instagram photos whenever I get the chance. I'm sure people think I'm strange as I hold my phone up to a budding tree, but I love how soft and lovely the photos turn out -- like vintage postcards.

Magnolia, creeping phlox (thanks Sharon, for helping me identify them!), Bradford pear. You know, as pretty as Bradford pear trees are, I'm so glad they are almost finished blooming. I love the thick, frothy white branches but the stench is awful. How something so tiny and beautiful could smell like a fish market in June is beyond me...

I'm not sure what it is exactly, but something about these past few weeks has made me appreciate spring more than normal. For the longest time I was afraid Michigan would get one more dumping of snow, but that seems impossible now (knock on wood.) The breeze is cool and light, the sun is warm and reaches deep into my bones. I never realize during the winter exactly how much I miss the smell of grass and damp earth, the calming sound of wind rustling through leaves, or the angle of light that bounces off the lake in the late afternoon, spilling into our living room and kitchen. Like I said, it's perfect.