Lilac - the harbinger of spring

The fragrance of lilacs alerts us to the arrival of spring—so welcome this spring especially. In the Victorian era, lilacs were thought to symbolize an old love, and became the style for widows to wear lilacs.

I loved lilacs long before I became a widow. When I was growing up, the arrival of blossoms on our massive lilac bush was an annual celebration. Knowing how I loved them, Dave planted several lilac bushes down by our goat pen. Lilacs need a cold winter to flourish, though—and our Sonoma County winters are just barely cold enough. My lilacs struggle, and each year I’m lucky if these hardscrabble bushes put out even one flower. 

Gratitude for that one bloom!