5/6隨筆：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.

 

花園苗圃裏，果園菜地間，草場草崗上，在春夏秋三季的節氣轉換時，我都發現了有計劃的農事活動。我曾將這一發現與西方的朋友分享，他們都先用異域文化的眼光，對中國的24節氣劃分表達出驚奇。然後又以世界大同者的眼光，說“這也不奇怪，除了生活的地理位置不同，東方人和西方人並沒區別。”

 

“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.”  

 

溫暖的風吹著我的麵龐，蒲公英的小傘隨風遊蕩，印象春天剛來不久，怎麽就有了夏的感覺？ 看公園另一角的花園裏，紫丁香花開了，紫紅色的海棠花已開得熱烈如夏風。空氣裏真的像是飄蕩起了夏的味道。

公園的灰黑碎石路彎彎曲曲如黑水小河，河邊的樹木品種各不同，它們有的勝在花，有的贏在葉，不同的姿彩，在同一時節呈現，讓人們享受視覺盛宴後，不禁會去思考：每一棵樹的選擇都有園藝師的良苦用心。

 

櫻花道兩邊的山櫻, 怎麽沒有看到最美的花景，花瓣就落了一地？隻能感歎：好景不等人。 站在櫻花道尾，看遠方的藍山。藍山之下是美麗的小鎮simsbury ，這兩天康州新聞裏播了有關小鎮的一則新聞: 小鎮居民以公投的方式，通過了讓鎮政府出錢，買下一片草場，以阻止原先擬在此建經濟房的計劃。買下後的草場，在保持現有自然生態的前提下，會被建成休閑公園，幾座煙草棚會被當成曆史遺跡予以保留。這樣的結果，在如今的我看來並不出忽預料。新聞裏聽說一對夫妻一個投YES, 一個投NO。人都有獨立的思想，行使各自的投票權就是了，應該不會彼此不高興。

 

入林前的一片草場已經一片蔥鬱的景象。趁著草還沒長深之前，我先走進去逛逛。草裏除了蒲公英，還沒有別的野花。一株株綠葉植物種在花盆裏就是盆景，遍布在起伏的草地間，就如未來的海上居舍。

 

一查原來今天是立夏，真是嚇了一跳

 

由近及遠四棵樹：綠葉的挪威楓NORWAY MAPLE--開紫粉花的海棠CRABAPPLE--樹葉還細小的橡樹OAK--深紫色葉的紫櫸PURPLE BEECH.