Spring inspiration

About 6 years ago, we planted a star magnolia in our backyard. It's always been a fragile thing, and the first couple years the blooms froze off at the first sign of cold temperatures. At the same time, random branches have been pruned off each year as they went woody and dead. When we purchased it, it was about 6 feet tall, and it stayed that height for some time. During those first 3 years, I wondered if it would even make it, and after the place we bought it from went out of business, I thought for sure that it would die, just to spite us.

The past two years, though, it has made a real comeback and surged in height. I'm sure this is at least partially due to establishing a more solid root system, but I'm happy with the results either way. The magnolia is now much taller than me and has burst out with luscious blooms each of the past couple years.



Speaking of blooms, it was just two days ago that it started to really unfold to the spring, and after its trials and tribulations of the first couple years, I decided to pay it some homage by basing my wardrobe for the day around its colors.



It's certainly nothing new for seasonal fashion trends to be influenced by nature, but being a person who enjoys landscaping and gardening, I always feel like I'm at the very least subconsciously influenced, and most of the time directly so. I get excited when the lawn starts to green up (even though it means more work with mowing and tending to weeds and so on), while tulips and daffodils springing up around the edges of the lawn seems to be a go-ahead sign that it's time to start really shaking free of the drab tones of winter.





So here's to you, star magnolia, and spring in general. I will try to brighten up my outfit choices appropriately.