Magnolia Blossom

We have a beautiful magnolia tree in our backyard that is beginning to display its floral finery. These are two shots of one of the first blossoms - at least one low enough on the tree to be within reach! My husband came outside with me and hung onto the branch while I took a slew of pictures.

Needless to say, that was followed by a few hours in Photoshop. Here are some of the images that I developed. You can click on any of my images to see an enlarged version.

I'm a northerner by birth (Connecticut), and though I've lived several years in North Carolina, I still find the magnolia flowers a wonder that's hard to believe.

And two more....