Color It Spring

Each spring, I marvel at the beauty of our universe. And every spring I say to myself, "THIS is the BEST spring ever." The magic unfolding around me casts me in a state of awe - the candy bright red violet buds popping out on our redbud trees, the lacy white blooms of our dogwoods, the butter yellow daffodils, and the purple crocus and hyacinth blooms valiantly popping their heads through the warming soil. Seemingly overnight, nature bursts forth in vibrant colors, and our world sparkles.

Spring is a time of re-awakenings. When our daylight hours become longer and the warmth of spring arrives, we're energized to clean out our closets, paint our walls, and we gardeners grab our essential tools and get to renovating our gardens.

Our pup Lucy in Duke Forest on March 13. Velvety green moss leads the eye to striking, saturated pink redbud blooms in the distance. Photo by Barbara Clare

Spring emerging in our neighborhood. Left: Our Camellia japonica and budding hydrangea in the foreground. Our Cercis canadensis, Redbud tree in the background. Center: A neighbors' cherry tree and forsythia hedge. Right: Another neighbors' Viburnum opulus 'Roseum', Snowball viburnum. Photos by Barbara Clare.

Another way to revitalize oneself is through the personal application of wardrobe color. Have you ever actually sat down and studied a multitude of colors against your face? Trust me, the experience is revelatory.

It's never too late to spruce ourselves up with colors that complement our coloring. This spring, with the beauty of nature as our backdrop, I did a wardrobe color consult on our patio for a client who was approaching her 70th birthday. She knew that her coloring had changed and it was high time to discover new, flattering colors for herself. Which of course we did.

She wasn't the oldest client I've created a personal color palette for. A few years ago, I had a terrific time selecting the best colors for an eighty-year-old. What fun it was to see the surprise and delight of these two clients as we discovered new hues for them!

Don't wait. Find a way to revitalize your life with color. Let the fun begin.