Flower Power

I know this is a wildly unpopular opinion, but I'm not a big fan of spring. For me, living deep in the heart of Texas, spring doesn't feel so much a time of re-birth as a harbinger of the uncomfortably hot, sticky months to come. I grew up in Pennsylvania, and the crisp, fresh air of fall remains my favorite time of year.

But even I had to smile at the Big Pictures' photos of spring flowers from around the world. Some of the photos document very somber situations, but it's impossible to deny the power of a bright blossom in a stark landscape. They're a lovely reminder that if we pay attention, we can find beauty.

A bird sits on the branch of a cherry tree,
a symbol of the fleeting nature of life. (Yoshhikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images)

A Yemeni army soldier, with flowers received from protesters, stands guard
to protect anti-government protesters in Sanaa March 23. (Ammar Awad/Reuters)