There are times when this Ozark countryside seems almost enchanted, and this is one of those times. Wild turkey gobblers show off their splendor as the spring winds ruffle their feathers, displaying a wide spectrum of iridescence. Male gold finches wear bright yellow breeding colors, and small wildflowers bob in the breeze. In the back yard, lilacs are blooming, and I bury my face in the blossoms and breathe in a memory of childhood. Around the corner of the house, the fragrance of Lily of the Valley greets me even before I see their small white bells tinkling in the stirring air.
Beautiful as all this is, were a visitor to enter this enchantment, the first thing they would notice, I believe, would be the dogwoods. Their lacy white forms are stunningly beautiful right now, with new leaves providing bright spots of contrasting green, and everywhere we look, breathtaking panoramas greet us.
I've wondered, at times, if the primary purpose of spring winds might not be to animate the dogwoods. Even a small breeze transforms the blossoms into slow motion butterflies, fluttering in place overhead.
Tonight, the wind is resting after its busy day. Spring peepers sing under a full moon, and the dogwoods are still.
