Yellow Blooms in Early April

After our aunt Ruth Stein died in 2011, our cousin Ann Monahan reliably sent us lively messages of remembrance on Ruth’s birthday, April 9. She often introduced her cheers for Ruth with the yellow blooms of early April.
Ann’s death on April 7 this year cut short such special poetic reminders to us and countless others in her life. The striking loss led me to gather images of yellow blossoms, in honor of Ann’s great array of ways to supportively connect people.

Magnolias, Magnificent and Magnified, April 2021

A few magnolia trees in my neighborhood began to blossom tentatively in late March, followed by a full surge in early April with three bright mild days. Cold winds and rain soon sent many petals to settle, discoloring on the ground after the brief but spectacular displays of distinctly different magnolias. No wet spring snowstorms to weigh them down this year, so they can gracefully give way to other predictably brilliant showings of the season.