Sunday, January 09, 2005
The Seasons
“In a way winter is the real spring, the time when the inner things happen, the resurge of nature.”
----Edna O'Brien
“Spring too, very soon !
They are setting the scene for it--plum tree and moon”
(Haru mo ya keshiki totonou tsuki ume)
----Basho (1643-1694), translated by Harold Henderson
An Irish author now living in Britain and a haiku written by a Japanese man a few centuries ago; not too far apart in thoughts.
A lot of rain the past week and, if the weather man is right, we have not seen the end of it. There is snow on the foothills. Water levels in the reservoirs are above normal, as is the snowpack in the Sierra. Good news for skiers. They can think of shushing downhill until May. Spring is ten weeks away, yet there are signs of its advent. Shoots are forming on the bare branches of ginko trees on my street; the California Poppies in my yard are beginning to re-emerge.
Last week I planted sweet peas. In another week or so they will begin to sprout and I’ll have to protect them from snails. And then will come time for the trellis for them to climb. The oxalis are spreading. It is a losing battle to try to keep them in control.
A view of my front yard (Spring 2004)
It has a somewhat wild look. I have neither the desire, nor the skill to create a dressed up, manicured garden.
Saturday, January 8th. A great day---one good thing after another.
AC and I went for a long walk in the rain, not heavy rain but it drizzled intermittently. The trails at Rancho San Antonio were muddy and full of puddles. There were quite a few runners out there braving the elements like us. The Bay Laurels smelled good; the air felt clean. Came home pleasantly tired, with muddy boots and soaked pants (Goretex rain gear kept our upper bodies dry).
A stranger called and introduced himself as Paul Henri, an 82-year old Hungarian living in the U.S. for 45 years. Said he was going through a file of old clippings and found a letter that I wrote to the local paper in April 2003. He decided to look up my number and talk to me ! We talked about Iraq and domestic policies of the Bush administration. A kindred soul.
Then came e-mail from a blogger in Austin,TX, who commented about my post dated December 29th on Johann Sebastian Bach. Her blog contains interesting photographs and observations. http://www.hruskova.blogspot.com
*****************
Another "smart bomb" went awry
The Washington Post reported that a satellite-guided bomb hit an unintended target and killed some Iraqis in Aaytha on January 8th. Five, according to a military spokesman; 14 according to Iraqi witnesses.
Does anyone care ? Just part of the cost of the grand plan to establish freedom for Iraqis.
A few more dead Iraqis are far from the minds of the policy makers in Washington. They have more important things to think about---what to wear to the inaugural parties. With a cost of $40 million there is going to be a lot of extravagant bashes.
----Edna O'Brien
“Spring too, very soon !
They are setting the scene for it--plum tree and moon”
(Haru mo ya keshiki totonou tsuki ume)
----Basho (1643-1694), translated by Harold Henderson
An Irish author now living in Britain and a haiku written by a Japanese man a few centuries ago; not too far apart in thoughts.
A lot of rain the past week and, if the weather man is right, we have not seen the end of it. There is snow on the foothills. Water levels in the reservoirs are above normal, as is the snowpack in the Sierra. Good news for skiers. They can think of shushing downhill until May. Spring is ten weeks away, yet there are signs of its advent. Shoots are forming on the bare branches of ginko trees on my street; the California Poppies in my yard are beginning to re-emerge.
Last week I planted sweet peas. In another week or so they will begin to sprout and I’ll have to protect them from snails. And then will come time for the trellis for them to climb. The oxalis are spreading. It is a losing battle to try to keep them in control.
A view of my front yard (Spring 2004)
It has a somewhat wild look. I have neither the desire, nor the skill to create a dressed up, manicured garden.
Saturday, January 8th. A great day---one good thing after another.
AC and I went for a long walk in the rain, not heavy rain but it drizzled intermittently. The trails at Rancho San Antonio were muddy and full of puddles. There were quite a few runners out there braving the elements like us. The Bay Laurels smelled good; the air felt clean. Came home pleasantly tired, with muddy boots and soaked pants (Goretex rain gear kept our upper bodies dry).
A stranger called and introduced himself as Paul Henri, an 82-year old Hungarian living in the U.S. for 45 years. Said he was going through a file of old clippings and found a letter that I wrote to the local paper in April 2003. He decided to look up my number and talk to me ! We talked about Iraq and domestic policies of the Bush administration. A kindred soul.
Then came e-mail from a blogger in Austin,TX, who commented about my post dated December 29th on Johann Sebastian Bach. Her blog contains interesting photographs and observations. http://www.hruskova.blogspot.com
*****************
Another "smart bomb" went awry
The Washington Post reported that a satellite-guided bomb hit an unintended target and killed some Iraqis in Aaytha on January 8th. Five, according to a military spokesman; 14 according to Iraqi witnesses.
Does anyone care ? Just part of the cost of the grand plan to establish freedom for Iraqis.
A few more dead Iraqis are far from the minds of the policy makers in Washington. They have more important things to think about---what to wear to the inaugural parties. With a cost of $40 million there is going to be a lot of extravagant bashes.
