The morning of April 13, a Saturday, was drizzly and grey. But the weather forecasters swore up and down that by early afternoon the Sun would be smiling broadly upon us. Damned if they weren’t right. It was, I decided, a good afternoon in which to take action.
Scads of flowering trees had burst into bloom during the previous few days. And because this annual seasonal display doesn’t last all that long, and because I’m the sort of guy who likes to commune with nature every now and then, I figured I better get hopping if I wanted a good look at the show. So, at 2:30 PM I drove to Jenkintown, a town near mine in the Philadelphia burbs. After parking on a tree-infused residential block, I spent 75 minutes imbibing a healthy amount of spring 2019.
Why Jenkintown? Well, it’s an attractive and tidy place. And I know its layout well. What’s more, I have ties to Jenkintown. It’s where my barber does a magnificent job of styling the five strands of hair that remain on the crown of my head. It’s where my wife Sandy and I go out to dinner fairly often. And, most important, it’s where she and I bought our wedding rings. Yeah, Sandy likely would have threatened to knee me in the balls if I hadn’t included most important in that last sentence. But that has nothing to do with why I wrote those words!
Jenkintown was, as expected, peaceful and calm while I trod upon many of its blocks. I saw people of all ages outdoors taking advantage of the warm, comfortable conditions. Some sat on their porches. Others puttered in their yards. One eight or nine year old bounced somewhat proficiently on a pogo stick. And two little kids streaked wildly on their scooters, up and down a sidewalk, as their father kept an eye on them. It was a nice day.
And I heard birds, a lot of birds, though I didn’t see any of them except for a few that were zooming real high in the sky. I don’t know much about them, but I’m not a total nitwit when it comes to our avian friends. I proved that to myself by recognizing the caw, caw, caw of a crow a few minutes into my walk.
And what about vegetation? For one thing, Jenkintown was looking a lot greener than it had in months. Most deciduous trees were not yet in leaf, but a few were, and they were beautiful. What’s more, much shrubbery had traded drab greens for sprightlier shades of that color.
Forsythia bushes, which had opened in my region in late March, rocked their yellows throughout the town. Ground-level flowers were starting to pop up all over the place. But where the hell were the azaleas? I saw only three. Maybe somewhere in Jenkintown were a bunch of “Azalea Bushes Are Not Welcome In This Community” legal notices.
And then there were the flowering trees, the main subjects that I had left my house to examine and to write about. Jenkintown doesn’t boast incredible numbers of them, but there were more than enough. I stopped to admire most that I crossed paths with.
When it comes to flowering trees, magnolia, pear and cherry are the varieties in favor in Jenkintown. Their petals abounded, flaunting pinks, whites and pale greens. On one property I saw a powerful reminder, though, that the show’s days are numbered, because the lawn and sidewalk there were blanketed with magnolia petals. Before long, similar scenarios will be playing out all over town.
As my stroll was coming to a close I passed a house on whose lawn a young tree grew. It was scrawny but in flower, displaying a color I’m positive I’d never seen before on tree petals. Yellow. A soft, milky yellow. As with birds, my knowledge about plant life ain’t much to write home about. That’s why, a short while ago, I turned to Google for enlightenment. I’m now offering the possibility that what I was looking at is a member of the magnolia family, though I sure as shit wouldn’t bet my life on that. Some of my readers are wise in the ways of flora, and I’m hoping that they will set me straight.
The time to go home arrived. I’d more than met my minimum daily requirement of nature. Therefore, into my car I eased. And you know what? It was hot as hell inside the mighty machine, 10 degrees hotter than it was outside. That’s what happens when you forget to leave a window cracked. Within seconds sweat began pooling on my forehead. Plenty of it. And of course the sweat headed downward, saying a nasty hello to my nose, lips and chin, and reminding me that summer is on the horizon. I hadn’t thought about summer in a long time. I’m not a fan of that season. F*ck summer heat. F*ck summer sweat. I prefer spring.
(Please don’t be shy about adding your comments or about sharing this piece. Gracias.)
(If you click on any photo, a larger image will open in a separate window. All photos were taken on April 13, 2019 in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, USA.)
Yeah, Another Blogger 
Lovely. It feels like I’m walking with you and i can almost smell spring in the air.
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Hi Sandy. Thanks for taking the walk with me.
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I love this time of year when everything feels fresh and new. Trees blossoms are the highlight.
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Flowering trees are amazing. We’re lucky that they exist!
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Nice pics, Neil! I love spring. Our area is so pretty in pinks (and purples and yellows). And in two weeks or so, I bet you’ll see lots of azaleas in Jenkintown–many of them bloom in May. There’s more photogenic color to come!
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Yeah, maybe Part Two of spring 2019 will make an appearance on this site. One never knows!
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That pale yellow magnolia is gorgeous! I’ve not seen any of that type here, only white and shades of pink. The petals on the ground are beautiful too, even though they indicate that magnolia season is ending. Better than snow, anyway. And then there’s that weeping pink cherry. Thanks for sharing these spring scenes, Neil. (P.S. I agree with you about summer heat.)
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Thanks for the visit, Audrey. I was very surprised to see a tree with yellow petals. Which, as I’ve definitively learned, is a magnolia. Never saw a yellow one before. Maybe they are more common in other parts of the globe.
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Or the result of plant breeders’ efforts. They’re keen on offering unusual colours to gardeners, who love to be the first to grow the new thing.
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Gorgeous spring photos – I enjoyed the stroll.
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Merci beaucoup, Sheree.
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Thanks for taking us along on your spring tour – loved it! 🙂
And, who would hate an azalea bush? A plant misanthrope? 😉
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Another reader pointed out that some varieties of azalea are yet to bloom. Most likely a bunch of those varieties are in Jenkintown. Have a great rest of the week!
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The mention of people sitting on their porches brings back childhood memories. Porches are not a part of Irish houses but, when a child, older people would sit outside their houses in warm weather and there would always be a comment with passers-by. I was in Dublin (our capital city) about 15 years ago and, walking along a residential street, came on an elderly man sitting outside his front door. As with your comment it struck me and I stopped for a chat with him. It was such a pleasant way to pass half and hour and isn’t is such a sociable way of living, to be out there to see and interact with neighbours and those on the street.
Yes, the yellow-flowered tree is a magnolia! I can see one from the window as I write. Good to have spring with us, warmed days and more time outdoors!
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Paddy, I knew that you’d identify the tree for me. Many thanks!
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Surprised about that azalea photo. We have hedges on both sides of our front sidewalk, but they don’t bloom this early (and I think our Cincinnati temperate zone is close to yours).
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I realize now that many azaleas in my area haven’t bloomed yet. That’s why I didn’t notice them. I’m not exactly the world’s top naturalist. Enjoy the week, Pete. Be seeing you.
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I love Spring….great photos. The small tree could be a tulip tree….not sure.
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Hi there, Joyce. An expert has confirmed that it is a variety of magnolia tree. I’d never seen a yellow one before.
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Fabulous description, love Springtime and you certainly did it justice, great photography too 😀
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Many thanks, Charlie. You’ve made my day!
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Since I live in AZ, I miss spring from the east coast and midwest. Your pictures are a delight to behold. The yellow magnolia tree (the petals look like a magnolia) I’ve not seen before. Only pink blossoms. How lovely they all are!
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Yes, it’s a nice time of year in my neck of the woods. By the way, another reader (Paddy) posted a comment about the yellow tree. He’s an expert in horticulture. He confirms that it is a type of magnolia tree.
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Beautiful, beautiful! spring is fleeting, and it looks as though you chose exactly the right time to go for your walk.
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Right – – – it’s a fairly narrow time frame for flowering trees. Enjoy the day, Laurie.
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Spring is a glorious burst that never gets old.
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Spring in the north is so much more special; it’s a true reward! Glad it has finally sprung where you are. Now, hope it stays … in Chicago, we used to get many false starts!
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Hi Lexie. Spring is pretty consistent and reliable in my area. Speaking of Chicago, I guess you heard about the super-low temps they had this past winter?
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Oh, yes – our daughter moved back for a couple of years, and boy was she miserable!
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Thanks for taking me along on this walk. I am uplifted for the day. I am always in awe of people who make a point of having flowers in their yards. I try and fail constantly.
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My gardening skills aren’t much, either. I mow, prune and rake. That’s about it.
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I’ve never seen a yellow magnolia either! It’s beautiful! Great share 😊
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Hi there. It wouldn’t surprise me if more people start planting less-common varieties of flowering trees. Maybe there are some with blue petals, for instance.
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Blue would be beautiful!
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How lovely. What beautiful photos. I, too, love spring . . . when it finally decides to spring into action. We still have gray . . . and gray . . . and gray. The odd crocus has started to bud, but basically, it’s still . . . gray. LOL Thank you for sharing.
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Spring eventually will arrive where you live. It’s toying with you!
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Such a lovely time of the year! Yes, spring is much better than summer, and I dread the summer’s heat here in Texas.
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Hi Becky. I imagine that your temps in summer are 10 degrees higher than in the Philadelphia area, which is where I live. And they are bad enough here!
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Probably so.
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Thank-you very much for the tour. ⚘ I too enjoy spring, but my favourite season is autumn.
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Lynne, I’m with you on that. Autumn is my fave, followed by spring. I suppose I prefer summer to winter, despite the heat.
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So jealous. Your environment is at least a month-and-a-half ahead of mine. Still snow on the ground in MN.
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Hi, Marie. It’ll be summer where I live by the time spring truly arrives in your area!
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You have a way of making a simple walk around town sound so interesting and wonderful! (Except for the returning to the hot car part…the only problem with Spring is that it is followed by Summer, just like the only problem with Fall is that it is followed by Winter!)
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Hi Ann. It’s interesting that there is so much contrast between the seasons in certain parts of the globe. Keeps things lively!
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I so enjoyed “our walk” together. Lovely! Here in Northern Virginia it’s starting to green up quite nicely along with pops of color everywhere. I especially love the red-bud trees and pink magnolias. I’ve never seen the yellow kind…how lucky are you to have spied one. Often in our neck-of-the-woods the easy-breezy Spring is fleeting….going from sweater weather to tank tops due to high humidity in the blink of an eye. We’ll see what this season holds. I for one am ecstatic to shed all that winter attire! Happy Spring….Happy Easter 🌷
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Evening, Cristina. Yup, that yellow magnolia is a rarity, it seems, in the USA. But maybe not in other countries, though I sure don’t know. I hope that the tree in Jenkintown thrives. It seemed awfully thin though,to tell you the truth. Anyway, thanks for stopping by. I appreciate that.
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Great stuff, Neil. In Edinburgh’s Botanics, there’s a great collection of rhododendrons and azaleas. They should be in good shape by the time of your visit!
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I have friends whose property has the biggest rhododendron bush I’ve ever seen. But something started happening to it a few years ago. It’s not in good health. Plants have problems, just like animals.
See ya!
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The colours of Spring – Pink, yellow and purple. So beautiful – thanks for sharing your “hood” with us.
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Hi. I picked a good day to enjoy spring. Nice weather, nice colors. It was hard to beat.
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As a wise man once said, Spring is God’s way of saying, “One More Time!” Have a great day -enjoyed your story. Jerry
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Thanks, Jerry. I’m always glad to hear from you. Take care.
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I love the photo with all the magnolia petals on the ground.
There’s so much green in Jenkintown. (I have to say I’m a little envious…) However, I know spring will make it’s way to my area, too. In the meantime, I took great pleasure at looking at your refreshing and inspiring photos.
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Hi Ruth, and thanks. I like that photo too of the petals on the ground. Those petals are a beautiful carpet.
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Super to see spring in your area…returned from early spring in the U.K. to the start of the rainy season here in Costa Rica…skies there a hard blue…here a soft grey, but every seemingly dead branch sporting buds…
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Hello, Helen. Speaking of rain, last year was the wettest I can remember in my region (southeast Pennsylvania). It seemed like we had 150 or so days in which some amount of rain or snow fell. I hope that this year will not be a repeat. Take care. See you!
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Lovely, my friend! You’re inspiring me to get into Madison and visit those beautiful Olbrich gardens again…
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Yeah, that sounds like a great thing to do. Have fun!
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Oh, Happy Easter!
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Hi. Not my holiday. I’m Jewish. But I appreciate the thought. See you!
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Aha! A blessed Passover, then. x See you!
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Even the scene of fallen magnolia petals is so beautiful, spring has definitely sprung, Neil.
The weather has been good here, but cherry blossoms won’t come until May.
Happy Easter!
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Spring is definitely eye candy. Living in Holland I get a lot of this as well and boy is it a “lift” to the old spirit!
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Hi. You live in a beautiful country. Flowers galore!
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I think I’ll take a walk today or tomorrow in my own neighborhood. I need another large dose of flowering trees. Take care, Isabelle.
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lovely photographs. We’re in autumn now but it’s like an Indian Summer: Good Friday was 34 degrees Celsius and tomorrow the same ; unseasonably warm but not a match on the 46.6 we got about six weeks back. That was HOT!!!
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I possibly have never been in temperatures as hot as what you had six weeks ago. That’s ridiculously hot.
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Great shots – our azaleas have long since flowered as we are so far south. Magnolia trees usually have much more leaves on them than your beautiful yellow blossomed trees but then I googled them. This nursery has trees that look identical and are a yellow variety.
http://thehoneytreenursery.com/Magnolias.php
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Hi there. In my area it seems that only purple azaleas have flowered. The red and pink and white varieties haven’t yet.
Take care. I’ll be seeing you.
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“I saw people of all ages outdoors taking advantage of the warm, comfortable conditions. Some sat on their porches. Others puttered in their yards…”
Funny how that happens. Months of empty sidewalks and ice-crusted porches and then BAM! The thermometer rises into the mid-sixties and people emerge from their “Game of Thrones” hibernatorial fog. It gives one hope somehow, though hope for what I’m not quite sure.
As for the heat of summer, don’t worry. I’ve got my flip-flops and tank tops all ready, and enough gin-and-tonic ingredients to watch over the universe from my deck while you station yourself by a jet-blasting fan.
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What I like best about summer are the evenings after the Sun has set. That’s when I’ll sit outside and stare up at the sky. Take care, Amy. Be seeing you.
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Interesting, we both don’t seem to enjoy REAL heat. I prefer rain anytime, which is probably why I’m so happy in this rain forest. I don’t at all, however, share your talent with a camera. Wish I did. Cheers, Muriel
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Morning, Muriel. Yeah, I’m with you about that. Rain is better than really hot temps. Enjoy the day. See you —
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Flowering trees are just the best. What a kaleidoscope!
I also despise the heat. I feel like my brains are being baked inside my skull. Give me a crisp fall or spring day anytime.
Hey, did you ever have a pogo stick? I was a demon on mine. I could hop around for HOURS. Your description took me back….*sniffle* *sigh* 🙂
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You know, I think I had a pogo stick, but I’m not positive.
You should buy one. You’d probably still be good on it!
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Yeah, I will. I’ll send you the E.R. medical bill later, too !!! 🙂
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beautifully
spring, Neil 🙂
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Thanks David. Enjoy the day!
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Paragraph three had your usual chuckles. Something about “the five strands of hair” sets the table and then a “knee to the balls”. Yeah its time for a Spring walk and I’m right with you. As soon as i finish up yakking at you I’m out the door. It is absolutely gorgeous here today. Blooming everywhere and green as anything. My neighbor is a Master Gardner and took me for a stroll through his yard a few days ago. You would have loved it. The cool thing is he kind of fosters tree frogs (those little bastards sing like hell at night) in the various ponds he has.
I’m out the door with a few tunes and to let the wind blow through my “five strands”. Later fella.
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Tree frogs! You live in a cool area.
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You would not believe how loud it is. Words can’t do it justice. Just back from the walk. Recharged. Talk later Neil.
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Why are azaleas not welcome? Hum. My front yard would all be illegal. Happy Spring! Happy Easter!
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Hi JT. Jenkintown probably has white and red azaleas that haven’t bloomed yet. I didn’t realize that during my walk, which shows you the kind of naturalist I am.
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Beautiful photos! I don’t know the names of birds or trees/flowers, either. I just call them pink tree, happy bird, upset bird, yellow tree, snow-in-the-spring tree, upset bird in the yellow tree, happy bird in the pink tree, etc. That’s how I keep them straight at least. Cheers!
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Hi there. Trees, birds, flowers — whatever their names might be — are (generally speaking) beautiful! Take care. See you!
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Thank you for this petal-strewn stroll through Philadelphia’s suburbs, Neil. I much prefer spring to summer, too, but, alas, it never lasts long enough. We have to get out as much as we can before it gets too hot!
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That’s true. I’m going to walk through another suburban area soon, before all the flowering trees lose their blossoms.
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Enjoy what remains of springtime, Neil. 🌸
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Beautiful flowers and photos! Such a gorgeous time of the year.
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Hello there. Good to hear from you. Nature really puts on a show during spring. Enjoy!
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You have the perfect captivation Neil! What a lovely share and reminiscing for you and Sandy! The very best wishes for you both, always!
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Many thanks. I appreciate that a lot. All the best to you.
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Hmm got to learn few new things from this blog. Thanks to the author and the images were very clear and perfect.
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Good thing you don’t live in Florida. We get about five days of Spring, then into the oven we go until October. Nice photos – thanks for posting
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Hello Kimberly. Yeah, I’ll definitely take Pennsylvania’s spring over yours. See you!
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Feeling season envy over here in the late clutches of autumn. Great photos, Neil.
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Hello there. I’ve been paying attention to spring more than I usually do, I think. And I’ve been enjoying it a lot. See you!
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Simply Amazing!
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Thanks for reading some of my scribblings, Neil. I’m a great fan of Spring and love magnolia trees, so enjoyed your jaunt, Here in Spain, of course, we have more than our fair share of palm trees and they do look quite striking against a Turner sunset…Only problem with OUR lone palm is its sex.It’s the only female tree within sight, and I can count around fifteen nearby. Trouble is ours sheds thousands… of seeds at one time of the year and they’re everywhere! But, hey, that’s nature, and she does give us so much pleasure along with the nasty scares now and then, so I mustn’t complain!. Cheers!
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Hi Joy. I wonder if some of those seeds germinate and grow to become trees. Probably.
Enjoy the season. Be seeing you.
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They do! We have mini palm trees all over the place which I have to remove, but I love pòttering in our very small garden, which is partly tiled. Have a pleasant evening.
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wow, can’t believe I missed this. Love your spring photos, especially the blue flowers coming through someone’s front lawn. I don’t know what they are, but they look gorgeous.
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I like the natural look of that lawn. The homeowners weren’t trying to create a neat and trim flower bed. Enjoy the week, Cath. Be seeing you.
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Tho I love summer, I especially like early spring – when you get a mild, sunny week in March and nature starts budding out. Nice pics Neil.
Alan
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Hi Alan, I’m a Spring-lover too. All those promising buds and freshness and ‘beginnings.’ Living in Spain, while appreciating the outdoor living and al fresco dining, it does get a bit hot in the summer months. Cheers.
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Hi Alan. See you soon!
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the magnolia petals on the ground were like a pink carpet! thanks for sharing these pics!
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Hi there. Those petals were too pretty to be raked up. I’m glad the homeowner left them there (at least for a while).
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The large displays of flowers makes my balcony garden look like a miniature garden for a dollhouse. No matter, loved your post and love my little haven. Muriel
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You’re the kind of person who finds beauty in many places. That’s the way to be. Enjoy the weekend. See ya!
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Hi Neil, It’s my birthday today (not telling…) and it’s ‘Love a Tree Day’ apparently. We only have one tree in our garden and it’s a palm…not very ‘hug’ friendly; in fact it can be a fecund nuisance..! I might just go outside and tell it it’s beautiful and leave it at that.. Have a good weekend. Cheers. Joy
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🎂 Happy Birthday, Joy!
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