I’ve meant to do this for weeks. The magnolias are in bloom, and I have a new camera; what’s the hold up?
Mea culpa, mea culpa: my excuse is that it’s either raining, or I’m at work, or my amnesia has kicked in.
One morning in early February I did bring the camera out to Alameda Point, where I walk the dogs along the shoreline (in the header above, it leads out to the ships pictured at center-right), and took some pictures of the acacia trees at the boat launch. You can see here the kind of gloom we’re working through:
In the midst of winter, the light-green acacia blossoms are an early harbinger of spring. Closer up, they look like this:
And closest up, they look like this:
But mostly, the last five weeks or so have looked like this:
Unfortunately, many of the local magnolias were at the height of their bloom in the midst of our stormy February. Yet some still have flowers, and as this has been our first sunny warm weekend, I took advantage to go out and finally commit them to film — or pixels, as it were. Jellyjules, I hope these are not too vulgar for you (I loved that description, btw):
So you get the sense that Spring is on its way. More evidence to come!
OmbudsBen 
Now, I rather like the dull weather for taking plant photos – you don’t get the ‘blown out’ contrast which can be a problem on sunnier days…
does that make you feel better about the fact that I’m writing from sunny Sydney?! 😉
Lovely shots – even the rainy window.
Just remember, Trucie-woo, in a few short days we hit the equinox. And from then on, our sunshine just gets brighter and brighter, whilst your sunshine …
but living Down Under, you probably welcome some respite from the heat.
My second wife gave me a magnolia tree for father’s day about… ohhhh, eight years ago. I love magnolia blossoms.
For the past four or five years I’ve told myself, “this is the year I get a bunch of magnolias.”
After seeing your picture I think I may go cut it down and use it for firewood.
Beautiful pictures! I’m also enjoying the bit of filmy green leaves that’ve been appearing on the oak trees, though of course it will be all over the cars and making us sneeze soon enough.