5/6随笔：立夏

 

It started with a gloomy morning and turned into a breezy but warm afternoon.

In flowerbed on main street of my town, gardeners were planting new flowers. I should check Chinese lunar calendar to see if it is approaching to a particular solar term. Driving by the gardening sit, I told myself.  

 

Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter are four seasons. But beyond the basic four-season concept, in Chinese calendar, the four seasons are further divided into 24 Solar Terms. When I told my western friends this concept, they all showed astonishment and curiosity which made me want to share more with them.

 

Although in western world, there are no such thing called 24 solar terms, but according to my observation, in this small New England town where I live, all gardening and agriculture activities incredibly followed the change of solar terms, just as same as Chinese people do.

 

花园苗圃里，果园菜地间，草场草岗上，在春夏秋三季的节气转换时，我都发现了有计划的农事活动。我曾将这一发现与西方的朋友分享，他们都先用异域文化的眼光，对中国的24节气划分表达出惊奇。然后又以世界大同者的眼光，说“这也不奇怪，除了生活的地理位置不同，东方人和西方人并没区别。”

 

“support our scout troop, mothers’ day flowers sales, on May 8^th. “ an artistically designed and printed billboard was standing on the grass. Behind it, red and pink tulips, clusters of glory-of-snow were blooming to their maximum.

“This is the first spot park visitors and people driving by will see, so the early spring flowers have been planted in this garden. We hope the popped flowers bring smiles to people. “ This garden is maintained by a garden club, a week ago, when I stopped by to talk with a club member, a lady at 60s, she said to me. 

“This is an exquisite garden, I really appreciate your works.  “ I expressed my fondness to this garden and my appreciation to their dedication.

“Thank you!” She said with a smiley face.  “You can post your photos in our Facebook pages, we meet once a month through zoom, if you are interested in, you are welcome to join.”  

 

温暖的风吹着我的面庞，蒲公英的小伞随风游荡，印象春天刚来不久，怎么就有了夏的感觉？ 看公园另一角的花园里，紫丁香花开了，紫红色的海棠花已开得热烈如夏风。空气里真的像是飘荡起了夏的味道。

公园的灰黑碎石路弯弯曲曲如黑水小河，河边的树木品种各不同，它们有的胜在花，有的赢在叶，不同的姿彩，在同一时节呈现，让人们享受视觉盛宴后，不禁会去思考：每一棵树的选择都有园艺师的良苦用心。

 

樱花道两边的山樱, 怎么没有看到最美的花景，花瓣就落了一地？只能感叹：好景不等人。 站在樱花道尾，看远方的蓝山。蓝山之下是美丽的小镇simsbury ，这两天康州新闻里播了有关小镇的一则新闻: 小镇居民以公投的方式，通过了让镇政府出钱，买下一片草场，以阻止原先拟在此建经济房的计划。买下后的草场，在保持现有自然生态的前提下，会被建成休闲公园，几座烟草棚会被当成历史遗迹予以保留。这样的结果，在如今的我看来并不出忽预料。新闻里听说一对夫妻一个投YES, 一个投NO。人都有独立的思想，行使各自的投票权就是了，应该不会彼此不高兴。

 

入林前的一片草场已经一片葱郁的景象。趁着草还没长深之前，我先走进去逛逛。草里除了蒲公英，还没有别的野花。一株株绿叶植物种在花盆里就是盆景，遍布在起伏的草地间，就如未来的海上居舍。

 

一查原来今天是立夏，真是吓了一跳

 

由近及远四棵树：绿叶的挪威枫NORWAY MAPLE--开紫粉花的海棠CRABAPPLE--树叶还细小的橡树OAK--深紫色叶的紫榉PURPLE BEECH.