CityView Magazine

editors' corner A Season for New Life G Rebekah Sanderlin, senior editor perfect spot to plant a dogwood tree, than opening giſts under the Christmas tree. One day, aſter dropping my kids off at school, I found the keys to the truck (that I was N supposed to be driving from time to time anyhow during my husband's deployment) and headed to meet my dogwood. I frequent all the nurseries in town, but stopped off at the near- est one on my route, Dunn's Nursery. Clarence and Rick confirmed that it was indeed the ideal time to plant in order to achieve spring blooms. I needed no convincing though; I could see the shape the branches would take as they propagated in my mind. As Frank and I dished the dirt, literally, the nursery staff loaded up my tree and sent me on my way. I did not even wait until any of the neighbors were home to help unload this sumptuous giſt. I had a plan. I lined up the wheelbarrow under the tailgate and pushed with all my might until the tree plopped down into the wheelbarrow — overturning it, of course. Still, I was not deterred and was anxious to work on that 61 degree January day. I just rolled the thing to where it needed to go and began digging. And digging. It was more work than I thought and getting the tree out of the container and into the ground was actually quite amusing. Months later, everyone seems to like the tree well enough, but I am the one who most ap- preciates it because I know how much labor and nurturing has already gone into this tree. I imagine that's a lot like how God looks at us, too, when we finally bloom aſter years of pruning and watering. 10 | April • 2012 ow that I've conquered azaleas, it's high time that our yard bears a dogwood tree. I pondered this last year and carefully walked the streets looking at the stately trees with elegant branches, taking note of the varieties and the colors of blooms. Through- out this unseasonably warm winter, I was almost more excited about staking out the enerations ago, when people lived a bit closer to the land than we do now, the coming of spring was oſten met with rejoicing. Another barren and cold winter had come and passed and our ancestors were grateful to have survived it. Nowadays we appreciate spring, but probably not as much as those who came before us did. We are grateful for the beautiful flowers, the budding trees and the balmy weather — but we don't feel the same relief at having made it through the cold and hungry months. However, just as it was for people long ago, spring is still synonymous with new life. Every- where we look birds are building nests and waiting for their eggs to hatch. Pale green shoots are poking through the ground. That pesky pollen that torments us is here because of the new life that is budding on the trees. Even the Dogwood Festival, the theme of this issue of CityView, is in honor of the trees that are so abundant in this city and that bloom so beauti- fully during this time of year. As I write this I am awaiting a new life in my own family. My newest daughter, to be named Lucinda Frances Sanderlin, is due quite literally any day now and by the time you read this she will almost certainly be in my arms. I can't help but appreciate that this third child will enter my family at the same time the azaleas, rhododendrons, tulips, irises and dogwoods transform everything around us into a sight to behold. Spring may no longer be an annual celebration of survival for most of us, but in my little world this spring will be marked by the celebration of a new life. Kelly Twedell, features editor

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