Popcorn Trees

   Sawyer calls this a "popcorn tree forest"

  

These blooming crabapple trees have been a part of my family for almost as long as Ohio has been our home.  Way back when my siblings and I all wore light up shoes and hand me downs, we'd tromp through the beautiful arboretum in those light ups and roll our hand me downs on the grassy knolls. We'd play epic games of hide and seek, climb on everything, and occasionally stop long enough to watch the wind blow tiny petals through the orchard like a fresh, fragrant, spring snow.  Always, we
we'd take a picture on the giant rock (which seems much less giant now).

This year, I brought my babies to the collection of trees to both keep and collect memories.  I thought my heart would burst as we wandered through Secrest Arboretum, admittedly as different now as I am, and threw rocks at minnows, took turns examining trees, picking dandelions, and riding the enormous new slide they built for children.  We picnic'ed under blossom showers, chased Poppie while he tried to do his research, and through massive amounts of picture texts, convinced Nana and Dada to join us on our day trip.  Oh and naturally, we took a picture on the not-so-giant rock.