Sketchbook Tuesday - Spring still comes

My lilac bush will bloom this year. It doesn't always. Some springs we get a freeze or an ice storm after the blossoms have begun to form and then there are no blooms that year. But we have had enough of ice storms (in addition to all that snow) this past winter to last us a good while. Everywhere the trees are budding in spite of their damaged limbs. It is difficult to find a tree anywhere around here that doesn't show some sign of damage from our ice storms this past winter. Half broken limbs hang precariously suspended in the remaining branches of damaged trees. All along every roadway are piles of broken limbs waiting for crews to come gather them up with their mulching machine. Trees that are bent way over, trees that are nearly split in two, are still putting out buds right on time this spring. Entire hillsides of trees that look like they were attacked by some kind of giant weed whacker are showing a softening to their limbs with their tiny leaves just beginning to appear. It is a very welcome spring here in our mountains. It is an especially good spring when my lilac blooms.