Spring into Color

Take your best buds to see the world's best buds at Dallas Blooms

When the skies are gray, our thoughts turn to the thousands of colorful flowers that will soon be in full bloom at the 29th annual Dallas Blooms. The floral festival at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden celebrates spring with 500,000 bulbs ranging from daffodils and tulips to pansies, poppies and hyacinths.

The beauty of Dallas Blooms stretches far beyond Dallas; the festival was named one of the top 14 places in the world to see spring flowers by MSN.com. In addition to violas and azaleas, we are most excited about the 100 cherry blossom trees, which bloom for only about 10 days.

When we asked an arboretum official about when the cherry blossoms would be ripe for viewing, she replied, “Only Mother Nature knows.” But they are hoping for mid-March.

Amid all this beauty, the arboretum is offering a variety of programs throughout the festival, including Savor Dallas Wine Stroll on March 17, when you can walk through the gardens during the early evening and sample a variety of wines, beers, spirits and small bites.

Other special events during the festival include free garden tours at 11 am on Wednesday and Saturday; silhouette artists from noon-4 pm on Saturday and Sunday; and special kids’ activities on Monday and Tuesday.

For a complete schedule of events and to purchase tickets, visit the Dallas Arboretum website. Dallas Blooms runs March 2 through April 7.

Dallas Blooms begins March 2 and runs through April 7.

Photo by Rod Lindley

Dallas Blooms begins March 2 and runs through April 7.

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Animal News

Couple in The Colony won't get custody of 88 animals they neglected

The Colony

Cats and kittens rescued from a home in The Colony.

A couple in The Colony will not be allowed custody of any of the 88 cruelly neglected animals they had confined in their home.

The animals were rescued on January 28 by The Colony Animal Services and The Colony Police Department, who executed a search and seizure operation at the Colony home of Brandy and Jeremey Bristol at 4820 Alta Oaks Ln. That's where officials found 88 animals still alive and 22 animals that were deceased. The animals were taken by shelter personnel and received evaluations and medical care.

According to a release, at a civil hearing on February 4 at The Colony Municipal Court, the animals were determined to be cruelly treated, and a judge ruled that the couple could not bring animals back into the house.

Photos showed feces on the floor and walls of the home; dogs in crates that were too small for them to stand or move around; and multiple cats sharing small crates.

The living animals included 24 dogs, 45 cats, 12 reptiles, and seven mice. The 22 deceased animals included cats found in plastic bags stored in the freezer.

Many of the animals' eyes were sealed shut or else had respiratory problems due to the high amount of ammonia from urine.

According to Fox 4, the couple’s own high school-aged children reported them to The Colony Animal Services.

The couple were running an ostensible "rescue" called Purple Flower, in which they were charging $350 "adoption fees"; questions about its legitimacy were raised as far back as 2018.

In court, they asked to keep six of the animals, but the judge denied their request and gave custody of all animals to The Colony Animal Services and other animal welfare organizations.

The couple has not been charged; according to a spokesperson, the police are waiting on necropsy results.

Animals that are in the care of The Colony Animal Services will eventually be available for adoption and will be posted online at thecolonytx.gov/animalservices or else available for in-person visits at the TCAS Animal Shelter.

The shelter is also in need of donations including Purina One dry dog food, Purina One dry kitten/cat food, and Fancy Feast wet kitten/cat food; ways to donate can be found on their linktree.

animals