Most people seldom stop to think much about flowers on regular "leafed" trees like Maples and Oaks and et al. Nevertheless, those trees do also flower; usually before leaves are produced. Their flowers may not be as flashy as ornamental flowering trees, but if you take the time to notice them, the flowers can be interesting. The flowers are just starting to emerge in the above photo.

***************************
COVID US News One Year Ago Flashback
March 6, 2020
***************************
282 cases of novel coronavirus confirmed in US

There are now coronavirus cases in 20 US states.

Mar 06, 2020: A woman in her 20s who recently returned from Italy is Missouri’s first case of COVID-19.

Panic buying forces stores to limit purchases of toilet paper and masks. Rationing supplies. Overwhelmed delivery workers. Toilet paper protected by security guards. This is the new reality for some retailers, who are having to take drastic action to limit the number of toilet paper rolls, face masks and hand sanitizer bottles each person can buy as customers stockpile goods over fears of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Thousands stuck in limbo off California: Passengers and crew aboard a cruise ship off the California coast will discover their fate later today, when officials get results from dozens of coronavirus tests. The California Air National Guard dropped off test kits by helicopter yesterday after learning that the first person to die of the virus in the state previously traveled on the Grand Princess liner.

Another Grand Princess cruise passenger is now infected with the novel coronavirus.

Coronavirus death toll in Washington rises to 14

CDC says older adults should “stay at home as much as possible” due to coronavirus

44 people confirmed to have coronavirus across New York

Some Apple employees can work from home due to coronavirus concerns

Dow tumbles 800 points as coronavirus fears grip Wall Street

Infectious disease experts urge Americans age 60 and older to reconsider their usual activities

WHO warns governments "this is not a drill" as infections near 100,000 worldwide

***************************
Forward to the Present Time
March 6, 2021 US COVID News
***************************

U.S. Confirmed COVID Cases 28,949,455
U.S. Deaths Confirmed COVID Deaths 524,262

Senate passes $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill.

Thanks to natural mutations, more-infectious and potentially deadlier variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 are now racing around the globe and are threatening to turn back the recent progress against the disease due to vaccination. Last week Houston became the first big American city to report the presence of all five variants. Each new variant comes with new, worrisome features.

COVID-19 vaccine doses allowed to spoil at Missouri, Kansas clinics.

****************