Hello, I am a crabapple tree. I put on my best crinoline to dance with you, finally, now that we’re well into May. You didn’t know it would take all the way into May? I’m so sorry. I’d have been here sooner, but I was delayed by so many distractions. Playing with unicorns and rainbows. Tying the peonies’ shoelaces together. I wanted toeshoes for myself, but the daffodils ran ahead and bought them all. I got the best dress, though, didn’t I?

Not that winter didn’t have some good points. I loved that fluffy thing she did with the snow. But ice. That freeze-thaw-freeze ice was a bad idea. Sad to say, she’s likely to do that again. We tell her and tell her, and for a few years she behaves herself, but then she gets this glint of mischief in her eye and oh no, it’s ice again. I’m lucky half my branches didn’t break under the weight of it.

Well, she’s gone now, sulking in the stream beds. I’m back, and hope to make up to you for the long wait. Come out to the garden. Let’s dance.