After what felt like a month of rain, the sun reappeared last Friday, and we had a picture-perfect, blue-sky, 70-degree day. Once we finished storytime at the library and grabbed a quick lunch with my hubby, the girls and I enjoyed the afternoon soaking up the sun at one of our favorite destinations: the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
The lilacs were still in bloom, though a little rough around the edges because of the incessant rains.
Fortunately, the rain didn’t affect their lovely aroma one bit.
Our official flower sniffer was in her element, busy as a bee. She’s a true fan of lilacs. They were one of the first flowers she ever sniffed. When she was not quite 18 months old, Linnea spent an afternoon outside with her great aunt, sniffing lilacs and other flowers. The experience made such an impression that Linnea has called her Aunt Lilac ever since. And she doesn’t seem to mind.
What a day for a stroll through the lilacs!
Since Aunt Lilac is now lilac-less in Portland, these blooms are for her! We love you and miss you, Aunt Lilac!
Starlight Writer 
Thank you for such beautiful pictures! Portland has some very few lilac bushes, but absolutely no Linneas nor Laurels that I love…
Aunt Lilac
Wait, wait, wait. Your Aunt Marla moved to Portland, Oregon? As in, for good? I didn’t know this! Maybe you posted about it before and I missed it? I’m so out of the loop. Well, she can enjoy the rhododendrons there (the locals call ’em “rhodies”), although they don’t smell like lilacs! I’m with Linnea and LOVE the smell of lilacs, too. We have a bush next to our back porch. If you’re ever in Arkansas in April, bring LJ by for a whiff. 🙂 -Ames
Yep, she moved in February. My uncle is now the bishop of Oregon for the Episcopal Church, so Aunt Lilac is traveling all over the state with him. We were bummed, of course, but Rae & Jess still live here… By the way, LJ would love to sniff your lilacs someday. We actually have a huge one out front and three dwarf lilacs in the backyard, and still, she’s completely obsessed with them when we go to the Arboretum. But who can blame her? They DO smell lovely!
The photos are gorgeous and I must weigh in as another lilac lover! I grew up with them by my Mom’s kitchen window and will always feel like a 5 yr old blond when I smell them….even at the ripe old age of 58ish. So, about the Aunt migration….we have been WAY too far from all of you Minnesotan relatives for WAY too many years so we see this as a huge improvement, Portland is a lovely city and the rest of you MUST start planning western migrations!! The only thing better than Marla within driving distance would be you being west coast folks too!! tons of love, Aunt Sheila