Le printemps

Another lovely spring day. I have been watching the transformation with amazement. From the stark (but beautiful) winter, to the fresh new blossoming all around.

Sitting on my sofa, in winter, I could barely see the treetops, bare and brown through the windows in my apartment. One day, I thought the trees look taller and a softer newer brown. Then nodes appeared on the tips, these burst into small multicoloured leaves and then came the flowers. The leaves on trees grew a bit thicker each day and each morning I would find the bareness a little more covered. Now I can barely see the large diocese building behind them.

By the roadside, the big trees are putting on their clothing bit by bit. Some are already covered, others are half covered and a few still bare. Somehow all of the trees are looking so happy when at it! Like they are throwing their heads back and spreading their arms after a deep sleep!

And what colours. Am constantly surprised at the range of it. A small tree bursting with tight white blossoms. Another pink one. And what shades of green. I can’t get enough of it. I stroll down neighbours’ lawns gazing at them and yet taking care not to loiter! They are very private and I don’t think would kindly to a stranger staring. Day before yesterday, on a long walk I spied this marvellous house, a bit outside the town, standing all by itself. Surrounded by an amazing array of trees, all different shapes and colours. On second thoughts, the house itself was an ordinary one. But peeping out between those trees made it look wonderful. I caught myself thinking jealously about the lucky denizens of the house. A little later I passed a marvellous tiny garden outside a very nondescript house in a road filled with similar boring houses. But the owner had done wonders in that tiny place not more than 10 square feet. I had to pretend to tie my shoes laces to get a good look at it!!

So it is spring. And so what? The big deal is that I happened to spend my teenage in the deserts of the middle east and thereafter in Calcutta where perhaps a few stubborn trees still exist despite the best intentions otherwise of the pollution. And the fact that there is no spring over there. Summer and a mild winter! Not so, here.

I am making the most of it knowing that this change will not stop here. It will keep on and as spring gives way to summer, these will be replaced by the heavier greens of summer.

Meanwhile, I keep checking out the greenery, the neighbours lawns and gardens! I keep thinking that one day the people will get together and report this skulking foreigner, circling our houses and staring at our gardens!!