I walked beneath this amazing magnolia on my way home from work yesterday. Lots of these trees are blooming right now, but this one seemed particularly dense with blossoms. As I stopped to take a few pictures, a woman passing me turned around and stopped too. I like to think that my act of taking the photos made her give the tree a second look.
In fact she might have said something to me, but I couldn't hear her because I had in my headphones, listening to "The Coming Storm," Gabriel Gatehouse's Q-Anon podcast from the BBC. (A particularly scary episode about people who believe in "The Sovereign Individual," a concept involving the disintegration of our social order and the rise of über-wealthy individuals who essentially answer to no external authority. It mentioned Peter Thiel, whose biography I just finished, as a proponent of these ideas.) So, anyway, hopefully I wasn't rude to her but with the beauty of the magnolia and thoughts of the apocalypse filling my brain, I had no room for chit-chat.
Here's a close-up view. I love that golden glow from the evening sun.
Oh, and yesterday morning, when I took out the trash, I noticed a sort of reddish sediment on the rubbish bins. I'd never seen anything like it and I was a bit annoyed, because I thought Mrs. Kravitz had been power-washing again, or maybe someone was doing brick work on their house and the dust drifted down onto us. It wasn't until I read Mitchell's post about the Saharan dust storm in Spain that I thought maybe what I was finding was also Saharan dust, brought to earth by the rain.
And sure enough, it was.
Here's what it looked like on some patterned plastic panels I found on someone's garden wall on the way home from work. (No, I did not take the panels!)
Today I have to get myself to work early to give my final Newbery talk. I'm off!
That magnolia is spectacular.
ReplyDeleteWe’re dealing now with the clean-up of Saharan mud.
Thank you for predicting my question about the patterned plastic panels.
Two years ago we had dust rain. The effect is still visible on rooftops. A fully laden flowering magnolia is a glorious thing to see. I always unplug when someone speaks to me. I may plug back in if they bore me.
ReplyDeleteDust from the Sahara? That brings global living to a whole other level.
ReplyDeleteMy Oklahoma grandmother would float one magnolia blossom in a bowl of water and the lemony scent would fill the room. My favorite smell EVER
My students are studying the Great Depression, and yesterday I did a lesson on the Dust Bowl and the dust that drifted all the way to Washington, DC. Your post reminded me of that. Today is a teacher workday with no students and I should be working, but I am taking a break and reading blogs! Loved the magnolia picture, different from the magnolias here in Virginia.
ReplyDeleteMitchell's Muddy Waters made it all the way to you!!
ReplyDeleteI might have taken the panels though, as yet, I wouldn't know what to do with them.
That magnolia tree is beautiful. We have many in town and they are starting to bloom and are just so pretty.
That is a gorgeous tree. I love the 'tulip' trees or saucer magnolias I think they are also called. There are some good specimens here but I haven't seen any in bloom and I'm wondering if last years arctic freeze killed them.
ReplyDeleteAnd to add to Ellen's list of what that beautiful species is called here, I will add Japanese magnolia. The one you have photographed is a spectacular example of their glory!
ReplyDeleteFunny that your mind immediately went to Mrs. Kravitz when you saw the dust. "What now?!" But no, not this time. Just the Sahara. Good Lord!
Beautiful magnolia blossoms there and the blue blue sky. Makes me wonder what the sky looked like when that Saharan dust blew through. Interesting red remnants left behind.
ReplyDeleteI always wanted to see magnolias in bloom. I've never hit it right.
ReplyDeleteThat tree is gorgeous. I hadn't heard about the dust storm. How interesting that the dust traveled so far. There must have been a LOT of dust in the air.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful tree! A nice contrast to the imported dust- what the heck!
ReplyDeleteI love magnolias! I admire you for having the courage to listen to that and to read about Peter Thiel. I'm so upset by everything right now that it would push me over the edge. Never had to take an anti-depressant but I'm getting close. Best of luck on your talk!
ReplyDeleteLovely magnolias! What a fabulous sight to see. The red sand on everything is unusual, right? Does the Saharan dust blow that far often? Strange!
ReplyDeleteI saw a photo somewhere of the dust over Spain. The sky was yellow. Magnolias are beautiful, but then they drop their petals and raking ensues. We had one, and then we moved and decided no mas.
ReplyDeleteI hope that the Newbery talk went well.
ReplyDeleteThat woman was probably saying something like, "Hi sexy! Wanna make beautiful music in my boudoir?" You could have kept it secret from Dave who of course also like to make beautiful music.
What a gorgeous tree! It's very different from the Southern Magnolias I'm use to. (ours bloom around May)
ReplyDeleteI hope the kids enjoyed your talk!
Fascinating about the sandstorm and panels. That magnolia is glorious. It will be another month or six weeks before ours burst, most likely so thanks for sharing it!
ReplyDeleteHope the talk went well!
Beautiful magnolia. I love them but we're just a bit far north, and they often get frost nipped after a day or two. Lovely while they last.
ReplyDeleteHas the sand in the atmosphere affected sunsets?
Those blossoms are gorgeous! I'll pass on the book, sounds depressing. The funny thing about the uber wealthy, they still die. Doesn't matter how much shit you have, you still die. What does matter is what you do for others, I think. I should write a book about it, "The Ven Diagram of Life" or "Connections" or something like that. Nobody would read it:)
ReplyDeleteGorgeous images. Thank you. Hope the talk went well.
ReplyDeleteI'm always amazed at some of the flora in England. I would have thought Magnolia trees only thrived in the American South.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a magnolia with so many flowers! it's beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThis magnolia tree is gorgeous! Have a super day, hugs, Edna B.
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