Blossoms and art

I’m not sure what kind of tree this is, but the blossoms are rich and beautiful. Nice to see them finally opening for spring. Other trees are blossoming now, too. Some of them remind me of objects of Impressionist painters, like Monet or Van Gogh.

And speaking of art: oil paintings have been found in caves in Afghanistan that date from the 5th through 9th centuries. They are murals of Buddha, nature, and mythical creatures, and were done using an oil painting technique believed not to exist until the 15th century in Europe. Researchers think they may have been created by Asians traveling along the Silk Road. These murals were found in the caves that were behind the giant statues of Buddha that the Taliban destroyed in 2001.

Sometimes beauty can come out of destruction.