The Seasons: Signs of Spring

San Mateo, California * And A Bumper Sticker

Spring equinox is less than two weeks away, on March 20th. Lack of rains is worrisome. Getting late in the season to make up for the shortfall. Temperature continues to be cool. A walk through the neighborhood shows that except for the birch trees plants are putting up the usual display of colors. And the silver birch trees,too, have something attractive about them -- standing leafless, waiting for the sprouting of leaves.

Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.

~Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke
The pictures below were taken during walks in February and early March.

Silver Birch tree on a cloudy morning

Zigaden Lilly (Zigadenus_spp) Death Camas, highly toxic. Tenderfoot Trail, Laurelwood Park, Belmont, CA

Bumper sticker seen on car at Trader Joe's parking lot: "When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping". No doubt obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol and such thoughts are far from their minds. On the positive side they spend money to keep the economy churning. Someone has to do it.