Back in January, my friend Chris gave me an amaryllis bulb for my birthday.
It took me a while to find some potting soil. (Target and Home Depot apparently consider it a “seasonal item.”) But within a couple of weeks I’d planted the bulb—and within a couple of months, it bloomed.
Today I was rewarded with a beautiful harbinger of spring.
How ironic that today I was also reminded that Chris is moving away: He and his wife leave for Paris in mid-April. What a shame that I’ll miss them by only a couple of weeks.
That’s the lesson of spring, I guess: Every year is a new beginning, every season a new chapter.
Best wishes to you and Silke, Chris, as you start this new chapter.
HeideBlog 
there’s something about the angle that humanizes the flower, the way it’s tilted rather than straight head-on. like, it just popped out playfully from behind the wall to smile and wave at the camera. i guess i’ve seen that phrase “smiling flowers” in a lot of different places, but the close-up, angle, and lighting really do give that impression. very nice!