I take great delight when little synchronicities occur. Sometimes they’re important messages of guidance or support, but sometimes they’re just what I call cosmic winks delivering a bit of delight.
Today as I walking in my neighborhood park I overheard a little girl ask her mother if a little patch of tulips were magnolias. It made me smile. I remember my first introduction to the Southern Magnolia as an adult visiting the South. I’m not sure there’s anything quite like it – I felt transported back to another era and could almost feel myself growing a southern drawl with each whiff of magnolia fragrance I inhaled.
When I got back from walk, mail had arrived and I found an envelope from a friend in the Netherlands. She had sent some wonderful vintage cards after having read that I loved them. Thank you Beautiful Karin! But just as delightful as that treat – the card she enclosed them in with her message is of birds perched on magnolias. I’ve taken a photo of it above. Isn’t it lovely? It made me laugh in delight.
But if that weren’t enough, I was just picking up my Idea Reliquary journal (I’ve written about it here) and literally a page fell out of it. And what was that page? Poem for the Magnolias by Martin Walls.
It’s a collection of one line celebrations of this beautiful flower, and here are my four favorite:
Magnolia flowers are opening their raw & awkward hearts as I they are about to confess to a perfect crime.
The way their petals swell all-at-once, then over-extend, over-excited for life.
A magnolia flower opens in the middle of the evening; electricity flickers on & off.
A magnolia flower awakens, taking stock of its whereabouts, careful not to speak too harshly.
I love those images. Makes me want to sit down and have a conversation with a magnolia. And allow myself to be intoxicated by their fragrance.
Have a magnolia story you’d like to share? Or one about a delightful synchronicity? Or perhaps a tale of flower mis-identification as charming as tulips pretending to be magnolias? Do tell, you know I love to hear. I’m linking to Lori Moon’s May Flower challenge – do go take a peek there as well.
Our white magnolia trees in the Northwest are not nearly as magnificent as those in my birth state of Georgia! There are several near our public library and I often go and just sit to admire the waxy blooms and dark green leaves.
We have another variety here called the star magnolia. I fell in love with it the first time I saw one of the trees. The one we planted has really grown tall. The blooms are much smaller and more lacy, but unfortunately they do not last long.
I was ready to tell you all about the tulip tree which blooms here in the early Spring. Much to my amazement…when I searched for its official name, I found out that it is a magnolia!! You helped me learn something…thank you very much!! The beautiful pink tulip looking blooms belong to the Magnolia Liliiflora Tulip Tree! I found a photo for you but cannot paste it here. Perhaps you have one in your yard!!
It was a surprise to me too Ruth that magnolias come in some many delightful varieties. While I don’t have one of those gorgeous tulip trees our neighbor does and it’s such fun to see it in bloom. They don’t last long either, so you have to soak it in deeply.
what a beautiful card! love happy mail — especially from overseas 🙂
I love thinking about happy mail spreading little bits of joy as it wends it way to the lucky mailbox. Spreading those joy vibes!