After the blessed, cooling storm

i wake early
to put myself together for a 12 hour day at Greenwood.
The faintest of light is shining out of the east
and hearing our resident catbirds burbling their dawn song
a smile sprouts.

i open the window
yes
it is still moist from the rain
and cooler
summer cooler.
It does feel as though i could reach out
squeeze my hand
and ring water from the air.
Even so
it feels different.
All that cruel heat has been banished
blown and washed away.

It's going to be a good day.

At Greenwood
the intense 3 days of heat pushed the magnolia blossoms along

This one is folding up shop

but still has much to offer all those insects
flying, hovering, crawling all over

several other buds are just opening

so, so beautiful
those glistening, hanky-sized petals
however
i'm oh so very glad i met them on a cool summer day
when their perfume
so sweet
so cloying
merely made me dizzy.
in all that heat
it must have been...
excuse me
i must stop there
it makes me whoozie just contemplating
such an assault.

No doubt about it
Magnolia grandiflora is one grand Southern Belle.

Comments

[Mia McPherson]

A lovely post with beautiful images!

We could use some rain here, Utah has too many wildfires going on.

[Anil]

Such a beautiful flower, especially the way its petals are arranged. It almost appears they are in conversation with each other.

[Olallieberry]

Absolutely beautiful. Although it has been hot here as well, we just haven't had the floral explosion one would expect. Loving these photos :)

[Laura]

I love how you fully experience nature's beauty. You are IN it and of it.