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Slice of Life Tuesdays #190408

The Tree.
Spring is synonymous with the blooming of our beautiful pink saucer magnolia (aka: Chinese magnolia, Tulip Tree). Sometime between the second week of March and the first of April, the buds that started swelling on sunny winter days will open and blossoms load the branches in the most magnificent display of pink. We love this beautiful tree.

our saucer magnolia by the southeast corner of our home

The Petals.
When the blossoms have fully opened, they begin to drop their petals one by one. Sometimes the petals float down in a soft shower, drifting on a spring breeze. It is such a lovely sight. Sometimes they fall quickly, knocked loose by a heavy rain and driven to the ground.

petals carpet our driveway and walk

The Girl.
Livi is my 9-year-old granddaughter. She was born in Russia, sent to an orphanage as an infant because she has Down syndrome, then adopted as a toddler by an American family. However, within a year, her adoptive family requested respite, and my son and daughter-in-law took Livi into their home. In a matter of months, the original adoptive family said they could not take Livi back and granted adoptive rights to my son and daughter-in-law. That was six years ago.

Last week on her way to school, Livi was so excited when she saw my driveway covered in pink. She exclaimed, “Pretty, like pink snow!”

Livi is thrilled with the pink (a favorite color) petals
Livi, “Pretty, like pink snow!”

The Boys.
Twice this week, two of my grandsons– Livi’s cousins –raked and shoveled my driveway. Imagine shoveling up pink blossoms with the scoop shovel we use for snow. They filled four green bins with the pink petals.

Tomorrow the debris recycle truck will come through our neighborhood. They will dump these cans and carry our pink blossoms away.

the boys picking up the petals


Is it significant that Livi used the simile “snow” and
the boys are scooping up the petals with our snow shovel

Happy Spring!
Happy April!

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Slice of Life Tuesdays #SOL19
Thank you to

Two Writing Teachers