Spring 2024

And I did say that you could smell spring too. I am not solely referring to the smell that farmers create by fertilizing their crops this time of the year. Chicken house manure has an aroma all its own and its strength is great enough to make your eyes water. Fortunately, I get to take pictures of beautiful Magnolia flowers and get to stand in the fragrance of those blooms. The smell of this Magnolia is just as beautiful as the flower itself. I can go out and take lots of pictures of the magnolia blossoms, because different times of the day has different parts of the tree exposed to sunshine. I can get a picture of a bud or blossom with the sun shining on opposite sides just by waiting until later in the day. I have gotten moody and have taken images in black & white of these blossoms with the rain dripping off. I have images of buds and blossoms from this Magnolia with snow on them. But what frustrates me the most is that I cannot take a picture of that wonderful, intoxicating fragrant smell!

So tomorrow, on the first full day of Spring, put your phone down or get up from your computer and go outside for just a minute or two. Make an effort to spend a moment or two before or after the commute to work or school and observe the natural world around you. Take the time to listen to the birds. Look for and try to appreciate the plants that are waking up from their winter slumber. Hopefully, the sun will be shining where you are and you can let it bathe you in its warmth. And if you are incredibly lucky like I am, there will be a Magnolia tree in bloom nearby.

This image has been added to the PRINTS gallery. Happy Spring 2024 to everyone!

The Spring of 2024 officially arrives tonight! But you do not need a calendar to tell you this (and it does in the Bugeye Visions 2024 calendar , haha). When you go outside now you can hear, smell, and see Spring all around you. The flocks of geese have been heading back north. The Dark Eyed Juncos and White Throated Sparrows will be leaving for their Canadian nesting grounds shortly. The Robins are coming back. You can hear their serenade at sunrise and sunset.

And the ground itself has burst forth with life. The Crocuses have finished their blooming. The Daffodils have peaked and their blossoms are fading away as the Tulips and Hyacinths are rising out of the ground beside them to take their place. The Forsythia bushes are flowering. But right now it's the flowering trees waking up from their winter hiatus that's getting all the attention. Pear, Cherry, and Magnolia trees are bursting with blossoms right now.

The cover picture for the Bugeye Visions 2024 calendar is an image of a Magnolia blossom from a tree we planted in our front yard back in the early 1990s. We had always hoped that this Magnolia would have bloomed on Hannah's birthday. Unfortunately, its blooming cycle is one month too soon. Right now, this tree is at its peak bloom. Perfect timing for the first day of spring. So in Spring's honor, I present this image: