THE BIG SHOW

Went out this morning for my usual prebreakfast temperature check, ready for a chill, and instead got slammed with the tender warmth of early spring, sensual breezes laden with the spicy scent of germination, in the ground all around and in the swelling buds of red and jade on the trees, all preparation for the major performances in the big days coming, under the grand marquee.

We get to see the whole show two times where we live: once when everything finally blooms down on the flatlands, then for the next couple of weeks we savor the privilege of watching the extravaganza slowly grow up the mountainside until it reaches our house and the jinchoge goes POW and the plum blossoms go BAM, then the cherry blossoms go WHAM and then come rising the vast armies of rainbow and green, taking over every niche of landscape, and I surrender for the summer.