暖冬cool夏
這裏一年四季溫暖如春，沒有酷暑沒有嚴寒......
正文
華盛頓州的Skagit Valley, 有近800英畝的土地，六十多年來種植著鬱金香和水仙花。 為保證產量和土壤質量，一塊土地每六年輪種一次。據說，荷蘭進口的鬱金香的70%是來自美國的華盛頓州。
四月21日的西雅圖，清晨還下了點小雨，等我們達到Spagit Valley後，天晴了。雨後的早晨清冽地刮著冷風，我們跟著如潮的人群在寒風中排著長隊，等待進入。入口兩旁窄窄地種著一長溜各色鬱金香，一片紅，一片紫，一片粉，一片黃，一片白，熟悉的，不熟悉的品種，在風中搖曳著，歡迎著四方來賓。
走進農田後，我們先是觀賞了精心設計的展示公園，然後又徜徉在一望無際的花海間。想起這些十七世紀風靡荷蘭的鬱金香，人們曾為之趨之若鶩。1620s, 有人願意拿一棟townhouse去換十個特殊品種的鬱金香球莖，居然沒有交易成功。那時，一顆鬱金香球莖的價值可以高過一個人一年的薪水。除了炒作的效應，從另一個角度說明鬱金香的獨特。又想起中文的翻譯-鬱金香。其實這花並沒有什麽香氣，但是它確實有著濃鬱、豔麗奪目的色澤，一度金子般的身價，抑或是它黃金般的高貴，最終賦予了它這樣典雅的中文譯名。
鬱金香無疑是美的，無論含苞待放，還是已經蓓蕾綻放，它嬌豔的色澤，光滑細膩如蠟的花瓣，純淨得如十六七歲的少女，美得傾國傾城。
笨拙的筆頭無法盡述其美，讓照片說話。A picture is more than a thousand words.
看完鬱金香，我們開車去Deception Pass State park, 見到了架在兩座峭壁間的大橋。橋下碧綠的湖水奔騰流向大海，那些頂風逆流而上的劃艇愛好者泛舟水麵；峭壁間，turkey vultures 自由自在飛行盤旋。回途中，我們還非常幸運地瞥見了棲息在一棵鬆樹間的美國鷹，它那一頭白毛在綠樹間若隱若現。
第二天是星期天(4／22)，天公作美。
明媚的陽光好像是跟著我們從加州來到西雅圖似的，灑向曾經陰雨連綿的大地。我們決定去爬山，一個叫Poo Poo Point的山。以前在家從不願跟我們一起爬山的女兒，那日興致也很高。這是個1760英尺高的山，來回四個miles，山路崎嶇陡峭，林中參天的大樹挺拔筆直，樹幹上布滿青苔，茂密的樹林遮天蔽日，路兩旁隨處可見的一些蕨類植物，新抽出的嫩葉碧綠欲滴，每片葉子都像從水裏洗過那樣幹淨。我貪婪地看著，看著這些久違的嫩綠青翠，真希望能把它們刻入腦海，帶回加州，讓它在幹旱之時走出記憶，浸潤我的心脾。
一個多小時後，我們汗流浹背地到達了山頂。那裏有一塊開闊的平地，聚集著幾位躍躍欲試的跳傘滑行者。他們借助著風力打開降落傘，然後縱身一躍，飛向空中。其矯健的身影、五彩的降落傘在藍天白雲的映襯下格外飄逸，為四月的天空增添了一道風景。
當我們最後沿著羊腸小道下山，再次見到那一大片青草地上競相盛開的蒲公英時，我真是留戀不已。我今春無緣在加州一睹春的秀麗，心中的那份期盼卻在異鄉得到了實現，最終有幸沐浴在這樣的春光下、春色中、春風裏，再次有緣與春天相遇。
6:55pm
After the flight took off about 10 minutes, we were over the vast sea. The sun was setting, casting its long sparkling orange streak on the gray sea surface.
An hour later at 7:55pm.
Sitting next to the window where the wing is, I saw a long wing extended with its flowery tail erected and pierced to the sky. The setting sun shone upon the tail, its reflection was cast on the metalic body. The tail, with its reflection, looked like a flying bird.
Except for the noise rumbling continuously, it was quiet and peaceful. I rested my head against the window, relishing the layered sky over the horizon, yellow, orange, pink, and blue , enveloped in a white haze. The sky and the sea were seamlessly connected, the blue color at the bottom could be where they met.
For a while, the plane felt like motionless, with bare mountains dimly in sight, unmoved. Then suddenly, something was moving quickly with its headlight flashing in the twilight. At first I thought it must be another small plane, but when it approached and passed to the other side of the wing, I sensed that it was a vessel gliding across the sea surface underneath.
The two-day-trip to Seattle is very fruitful and fulfilling. The weather there, though cold and windy sometimes, was mostly sunny, with intermittent light drizzles in the mornings or late afternoons. Coming from a drought state, we greedily relished at the lavish greenness, pristine air, and blossoming flowers. The new leaves were spreading in tender yellow color; flowers were heavily hanging over the branches. Everywhere we went, we saw white peach flowers, pink and rosy cherry flowers, purple magnolia, and the state flower Rhododendron. It is a feast to our eyes.
The highlight of our trip is the tour of Skagit Valley tulip festival. Although tulips are no new to us, being seen in stores or pictures, when we were embraced with the overwhelmingly flaming colors of red, purple, orange, yellow extending to the end of the fields, our jaws were dropping, eyes opening, and hearts immersed greatly in this postcard scenery. When we took a closer look, we noticed that in addition to colors, tulips came in varied sizes and shapes too. Some are tall and slender, some petals are big and have layers, some in budding and some in full bloom. Each type has its delicacy, charm and uniqueness. Its beauty is just beyond the description.
As the saying goes, a picture is more than a thousand words. If my memory decays one day, at least these pictures can attest to the beauty.
After lunch, we headed to Deception Pass, where a bridge connects two islands upon the rugged cliffs, creating a magnificent view and mysterious strong gusts on the bridge. We braved the gust and walked across the bridge and down to the beach. On our way back, a lady, who was standing on the other side of the bridge, excitedly beckoned us that there was an American eagle down below, hoping that we could capture it using the big camera. We hurried across, and there on a distant tree on the cliff stood a white-haired American eagle.
Sunday was another great day. We decided to hike the Poo Poo Point, the summit of which serves as the launching pad for paragliding. The mountain is 1760 feet high, the trails leading to the top are narrow and strenuous. When we finished the 2 miles trail in about an hour and half, we were panting and sweating. We joined the crowd in a large clear area, and watched the paragliders launching in the wind. One after another, the paragliders rose to the sky, floating and gliding at ease, with the colorful parachutes decorating the blue sky and white clouds.
Quite unexpectedly, the downhill hike turned out to be a pain, as the pain from the right knee as well as the toes bothered me in almost every step. But it is a rewarding hike, to be accompanied by my daughter, and to immerse ourselves in the spectular spring season.
暖冬周末快樂！
Thanks for the word "delicacy," which in my mind meant nothing than good food ;-)
Downhill was a breeze until I switched to xeros.
And with the proverbial hammer in hand, I'd prescribe squat exercises for your knee ;-)
暖冬的片片拍得太漂亮了，讚一個！
美國白頭鷹也抓拍的很棒！讚!