poplar road

Spring at last! In spite of freezing overnight temperatures this past week, my garden is responding to the slightest sunshine at a feverish pace. The daffodils have begun blooming, the tulips are not far behind, and every lilac bush is covered in buds. Purple, I think. The mountain ash is the leafiest tree, but the newly-identified chestnut isn't far behind.

My biggest thrill this week was looking up from a bed of irises into the bare branches of our apricot tree, to see white petals where I didn't expect anything but twigs. I didn't know apricots blossom just like Japanese sakura, with blossoms first, leaves second. The contrast of white and red blossoms against the bare boughs is heavenly. It reminded me of Koranke, a park near the town I lived in while studying in Japan. The plum trees in the mountains there bloomed earlier than most trees in the city, so I got to see sakura, very briefly, before I left Japan at the beginning of spring.

Only a few apricot blossoms have come out, and it's been grey and rainy most of the week… but in the sun this afternoon even the cherry tree was showing a few white petals amongst the leaves. If the weather goes back to last week's pattern, rain at night and sun all day, then it will be spectacular by the end of next week. I hope it lasts. My next post will be full of outdoor photos again, I'm sure… some of our garden, and some desert scenery, and some 4x4s. But that's all for now!