Spring comes WAY earlier to Arizona than to much of the rest of the nation - I think our winter is about 6 weeks usually. This time we had one spate of frost/freezes back in December... that was it! I noticed a couple of weeks ago this really colorful tree we have in the neighborhood. They really bloomed all over all at the same time, so they were noticeable as we walked and drove around. They are Texas Mountain Laurel trees/shrubs. It's fashionable to make bushes into trees, so it's not clear if this one would really look like a tree out in the wild, but here we have them as trees.
Besides being really pretty for a couple of weeks, there is the AWESOME SMELL! They are covered with these clusters of flowers that smell like grape soda. Yes, you read that right, we are talking violet blossoms that smell like you just opened a can of grape Shasta. And this wafts through the neighborhood. So walking around in a little breeze is just wonderful for the senses. 
As the laurel was finishing up blooming, another shrub started showing off. All over in yards and on community property - actually all over the valley, even along the freeway borders, we have Fuchsia. Its distinctive pink leaves make it a really popular landscaping addition, especially in new housing. But seasoned gardeners aren't as adoring, not after they've lived with the beast. Fuchsia has big thorns. And it's messy! Those pretty pink petals dry and fall off and blow all over the yard. My friend has a lot that seems to catch all the windblown dry stuff and it collects constantly right on her front porch. To get to her door, one must wade through piles of these pink blooms. She got tired of sweeping it all up and finally took out the fuchsia. In fact, she replaced it with the Texas laurel!
As I paid closer attention to the fuchsia, I realized those gorgeous pink flowers aren't flowers at all, they are leaves! The flowers are actually tiny white blooms. I guess, like on poinsettia plants, the leaves feel the need to dress up more and change to a showier red.
While we miss having four seasons, spring here is really pretty. And it lasts about 6-7 months. The rest of the year is summer... known by many as HELL. Watching the north and east suffer with mountains of snow and ice all winter, I don't mind this trade-off. Arizona is the state where you get in the car for 2 or 3 hours and you can be in a whole other season and terrain. Lots to be said for that!
(I have to add - I laughed when I started this post, as I realized my last post was back in JUNE... the exact week when I was called to be Relief Society president. Now that's telling, don't you think?!)
