Dame Apple's Spring Dress

Nature's schedule is her own.  You can't rush it.  Digging up seeds you planted yesterday to see how they are doing does not encourage them to sprout and grow faster just because you are impatient. So I've done my best for many days now, as part of the Things I get to do today, to allow The Grand Dame Apple Tree of our ditch-becoming-Fanno Creek plenty of time to swell her buds, squeeze out the tips of new leaves, and to pretty her new dress with blossoms.  Silly me.  My doings have nothing to do with Dame Apple's dress.

Looks like 3 or 4 blossoms are tucked away in this clutch of new leaves
Little pretties for another day.

Today, however, she caught me eye.  A slight fatness at the end of each of the branches seemed more green than usual.  I brazenly walked right up to her and took a good squint.  Sure enough, the basic structure of her dress is nearly ready.  The fancies will come along in their own good time.