The Hawthorn cannot be the Redbud or the Magnolia, it is inherently, genetically, and uniquely the Hawthorn. In the naked wood, the Hawthorn adorns its splendor, which is a beautiful reminder of one of my favorite quotes, “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”—Oscar Wilde.

At the depth of Winter’s dark dormancy, a spark–a glimmer of hope, the return of life. Quietly, without fanfare, bud’s blossom bursts. In a forest of lifeless branches, a single sign of promise. This beacon…