A Road Trip, Easter 2010 – April 3.

How many shades of green can you imagine?  Close your eyes.  Now open them, and then take a drive into E. Texas (from S. Texas) – yes, please, I prefer that you drive with your eyes open.   And, you will see flanking the road, covering the hills, Mother Nature wildly using her crayons on her flora.  From the deepest green of a stately pine to the lightest yellow/green of a varietal not known to me, the trees of East Texas display their stuff, leafing out in profusion. Amazing!  In between the darkest and lightest of green, the fuchsia pink of the red bud peeks out, showing her splendor in contrast to the greens of the towering trees.  Occasionally, a dogwood appears like powdered sugar – sweetness interspersed among all the shades of green.  Suddenly, there is a curtain of purple wisteria taking over power poles, trees and fences, clusters reaching high and wide.  Some of these vines are less assertive and more contained in their lavender explosions, dotting a yard in controlled glory.  Stunning spring in Texas!  This profusion of vertical color is often accentuated with shimmering yellow fields of fabulous wildflowers.  And yes, the wildflowers were gradually blooming, depending on location.  Just north of Livingston, Tx., along the  median of the road many of our wildflowers began their annual demonstration – soft pinkish purple ones, Queen Anne’s lace like white ones, deep rust red ones, more yellow/gold ones, some small orange ones, a patch of bright pink ones, and a few Bluebonnets just south of Livingston!  I wish I knew all the varieties.  Certainly Mother Nature and her crayons provide joy, amazement, and a feeling of renewal.