There are many conversations that come up and highlight things I miss about California. It is afterall, as my uncle put it, God's country. This morning it was Mexican food. At other times it's the weather. When we were in Buenos Aires conversations turned to how beautiful the flowers and trees were there. For Jenny and Catherine they were a new and happy sight. For me, they were exactly what I'd grown up with. The city was covered in jacarandas, bougainvillia, agapanthas, oleander, and hundreds of other plants I couldn't name but certainly recognized. So yes, I miss the color and variety of the foliage at home. There's nothing here that can even compare. However, there is one tree here that has taken its place among my favorite sights of spring, and I don't think it grows in California at all:

Dogwood, the state flower of Virginia comes in shades varying from pure white to red. The blooms cover the small tree in a daintily feminine manner that I find sweet and springy. Honestly, they represent the preppy-girly-lace-and-tea sort of sensibility that is lacking both in me, and in most of California. I find that flowers like bougainvillia have considerably more style to them, and though equally delicate, seem to last longer. They are however, just not as feminine. I like magnolias as a middle ground between the two aesthetics. They seem to grow and thrive everywhere and are symbolic of both strength and beauty. They're womanly as opposed to girlish. I like that. However, I do admit to an outburst of child-like glee when I see the first dogwoods of the season. They're absolutely delightful.