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Each morning that I take the dogs out, we more than likely take the same route around our neighborhood. It is about a 15 minute walk and we can do it in our sleep (or pre coffee in my case). It means we get to observe the same things each morning. On this particular route, the place where we loop around is down a short street that is lined with cherry trees, two different types, ones with bright pink flowers and ones with white. Directly in the middle of this row of trees is my absolutely favorite one because somehow this little tree is both kinds of tree, pink and white. Somehow it looks as though the white tree was grafted into the pink one…or perhaps it started white and somehow the pink one was grafted on top.

It is both. I love this tree. I love that it includes both flowers and is just so amazing to watch. I have been watching it each morning because this year the blossoms have come later than normal. It is a cooler year. The white blossoms were first to burst and the pink blossoms are taking their time. This past week has been the first week that I have noticed the first pink blossoms start to emerge. It is as if they are cautious about it. There is another spot full of these pink cherry trees in our neighborhood that is just glorious when they blossom. The pups and I walked there for our longer walk yesterday and you can see them just about completely ready to burst open. The most adventurous little blossoms are peeking out.

But back to this tree. The tree itself doesn’t seem so spectacular unless it is blossoming because then you can truly appreciate its uniqueness. When it is all leafy you can almost imagine it is supposed to be that way and maybe it is, a mix of reddish and greenish leaves. But the blossoms really give away its space in the world. It is a combination of what can be. It is a mix. It is a harmony. It is something that makes us ooo and awww.

This morning when we made our walk and I took another picture of this tree…it just tickles me and I keep taking pictures of it as it emerges in the season….I felt something that feels a bit unfamiliar but welcome.

Is that a little bit of hope residing? Is that a bit of the Easter season I was waiting for? Finally in week four?

Ana flew to Serbia on Friday to get her first dose of vaccine. It was time and she was able and we decided that it would be not so smart of us for her to wait. She got of the plane and her dad picked her up and she went to a clinic and got her first dose. Just like that. And just like that I have started to hope a bit.

We continue wedding planning and things are shaping up to feel a bit more feasible even in this crazy time.

We have started talking about future travel as if that is possible and with more vaccines rolling out perhaps it is in the near future.

Yes, I do believe the blossoms have emerged just as a bit of hope has too.