People could be different, according to their timing of actives within a day or even in a year. Oftentimes, you may hear people saying "I’m a morning guy”, meaning the person is not only getting up pretty early, but also more active and productive in the morning than the rest of the day.
I’m a morning guy. But the point here is, I'm a Spring guy as well.
It took me a long time to figure it out that the Beginning of Spring (立春), the first of the 24 solar terms, is actually not the first day of Spring each year. Instead, the Vernal Equinox (春分) is the official start of Spring in the northern hemisphere. This year, Spring kicks off on Tuesday, Mar 19.
Nearly 2 decades ago, I was relocated to southern California, and have since settled down and developed my own way in appreciation of the season of Spring, including tasting it, and getting into it. For example, as the weather cooperates with little dry and clear breaks during the rainy months of February and March, I would go up the hillsides behind my backyard, and pick up some fresh sprouts of wild plants, such as fennel, scallion, and daisy shoots. Those wild-grown veggies are good for making dumplings. I like them very much because of their tastes of Spring.
The Awakening of Insects (驚蟄) turns the landscapes green, which perhaps ushers the arrival of a blossom bloom in the valleys and over the lower mountains, depending on the preparedness of the soil in terms of temp/moist. As this occurs, getting out in a sunny morning with family and friends enjoying the colorful wildflowers is always one of my favorite outdoor activities in Spring.
Spring is a lovely season. Taste it and get into it, as shown in the following posts I shared in my WeChat moments.
1) 題後山采擷
今春，南加陰雨連綿，天河倒懸。氣象員說是大氣河流(atomepheric rivers)所致。上月中，連續四天，本埠嘩嘩啦啦地傾瀉了將近5英寸的雨水。迄今為止，今春雨量已逾一英尺，打破曆史記錄。
周末，雨過雲開。早飯後，爬山踏青。行至後嶺，但見野蒿、沙蔥、茴香，抽出嫩芽，鮮嫩可餐。隨興采擷，山蔬佐酒，亦可稱快乎！
連旬好雨雲初斂
後嶺春華日正閑
且摘山蔬佐詩酒
先知時味在民間
2) 驚蟄後踏荒
昨，和風麗日。結伴友鄰，遊春賞花於鑽石峽(Dianmond Valley)。見碧水浮玉，虹峽飛彩；香漫春野，花賦韻章，神清氣爽之餘，感慨春光乍瀉，彌足珍貴！
和風拂曉日初長 獵履樵衫踏野荒
碧水湖灣浮碧玉 霓虹峽穀舞霓裳
香繚楚客迷芳徑 韻起花田賦錦章
萬物昭甦驚蟄後 年華最是惜春光
