March 1, 2014 Pink Flair on the Yoshino Cherry Trail

I step over not one but two frozen corpses of squirrels on an annoyingly cold morning since I thought it was Spring.  And yet, and yet, it bears gifts.  Around a corner I come upon two 40 foot tall Japanese Magnolias embracing a Victorian mansion. They have given birth to thousands of pink and purple tulip-like blossoms. They smell like the world is opening up. They smell like Spring.

And then I come upon a group of orange vested men and women pruning a crape myrtle along the path.
The back of their vests says "Trees Kudzu Coalition".  A  pink jacketed woman, named Peggy is pouring out cups of steaming hot coffee.  She offers me a cup.  She introduces me to  Newt, the leader of the group. He tells me that the Yoshino Trail is dedicated to Peggy's late husband, Bill Wilson.  And now, they have planted 52 new Pink Flair Cherry Trees along the trail.