After the previous heavy post, I am going with something light and seasonal. It is plum blossom time in many parts of China. A tree that flowers in late winter/early spring (often when there is still snow), plum blossoms (梅花 – méihuā) signify resilience and strength for the Chinese. I wasn’t able to get out there myself to photograph for obvious reasons, but I went in spirit with a student to whom I entrusted the sacred task of photographing for my blog. In truth, I might not have wanted to have gone along even if I could have – as you can see in one of the photos in the gallery below, a weekend visit to this particular site meant sharing space with thousands of other people. To this Canuck, there is something unnatural about fighting for elbow room in nature… (thanks to HJB for the photos – literal legwork much appreciated 
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These are beautiful!! Thank you for sharing. I am so yearning for spring here.
I love the symbolism of resilience and strength. I find a similar representation among some of my flowers as well.
Well said! I think one of the hardest things about winter is going so long without the inspiration of plant life (if you live in places with real winter, that is).
Great photos. I am so yearning a little plant life here in Québec! March is such a ‘ick’ month … not enough snow to be Christmas postcard beautiful, not enough green to be inspiring and fresh. Luckily, it is maple syrup time to compensate.
I hear you. I remember so many Canadian March’s where the word April seemed almost foreign. But yes! Maple syrup. That is not a bad thing at all
plum blossoms (梅花 – méihuā) signify resilience and strength.
I’ve never heard that quote before. It’s really lovely
Your student captured some really lovely photos. Are they all plum blossoms?
I hadn’t heard it before either, although I should have guessed they were highly viewed as I know they love things made from these types of plums (dried, juice, alcohol). I love the flowers, but I have to say, all of the plum products I’ve tried here are nasty.
I suspect there may be a few flowers in that mix that are not plum blossoms. Yes, I was really happy with the quality of the photos though – surprised though because he was using his phone to take them.