Johns (Pass) and near Johnson City #ThursdayTreeLove #AtoZChallenge

This week is the week that nature decided to spring to life where I live in the Southern Tier of New York State.

Because today I am doing two challenges (I'm temporarily not participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge because it just got to be too much) I am going to start with a tree.  No, not a tree where I live near Johnson City, New York,

No, for Thursday Tree Love I give you a tree from January.  Think of it:  we arrive in Florida from the frozen north and are greeted by this palm tree in Johns Pass Village, near Madeira Beach on the west coast of Florida.  It was green!  It was a tree that could not grow where I live.  Perfect!

Johns Pass Village was so welcoming.  But that was then, and this was now.

Now, temperatures would be hot.  And, we have a miracle going on where live.

It's the miracle of spring, which makes winter suffering fade into memory.

It's seeing bare trees one day and buds on the branches the next.  I always think "how do they know when it's time?"

Then, the springtime flowers start their season.  One of the early ones is the crocus.

Like many of our bulbs (and our plants) they need the winter dormancy.  They can't grow in Florida unless you treat like annuals, or plant prechilled bulbs indoors.

So, I am going to cheat just a little.  These crocuses are not from Johnson City but grow only a mile or two away.  So why not?  It's "J" day and my theme is "Finding America through Photos."

Florida had its season. Winter.  Now, I'm in the moment here - the moment of promise, of growth, and, yes, unsettled weather, of a New York spring  We aren't done with frost or even freezes (yesterday was so cold!). And maybe not even (boo) snow. But that day of warmth is coming.

Just a few weeks away. Just a few....

Join Parul and other tree loving bloggers for #ThursdayTreeLove.

"J" day in the #AtoZChallenge.