Julia's Mexico City

Where I grew up (also click photo), we didn't have much in the way of seasons. We didn't even have daylight savings time. It got a little cooler and rainier in winter and a little hotter in summer, but basically, the weather reports remain the same all year round:


Highs in the 80s
Lows in the 60s
Mauka showers
Tradewinds 10-15 mph

The only way to know when spring (and soon thereafter SUMMER VACATION!) was coming around was the school calendar -- easter break, prom, school elections. It was all on paper, nothing actually looked different.

But then, one day, out of nowhere it would seem, I would catch a glimpse of something like this:

And my teenage soul would sing out -- Summer is coming! Then a moment later my old soul would catch its breath because the trees are so beautiful. Not long after that first sighting, the roads would be alive:

And my school campus would look like this:
(Though this was actually taken at UCLA.)
I didn't know when I moved to LA for college that there were Jacarandas here. I got here in the fall and imagine my utter joy and delight to see them exploding all over town as the school year came to its close. Even in the darkest days of my loathing LA, the Jacarandas would make me smile.

Now, with no school calendar running my life anymore (we don't have kids yet), and even though I live in a place that has only a marginally bigger seasonal change than Maui, I have come to recognize the steps that lead to spring (and then to summer).

First of all, the calla lilies always surprise me by coming out in January and February. Then, the mockingbirds would start piping up.

Soon, what were just a bunch of sticks wrapped around your trellis becomes this:


The Jacarandas will not be far behind and I will be so glad that I get to be home this summer to make up for all the BBQs and parties we didn't have last summer (see the beginnings of this blog-June, July and August 2006 to see why). I can't wait to sit outside on warm nights -- warm but still cool enough to light the fire in our funky outdoor fireplace. I missed it so much last year.

With the wisteria blooming, that also means time to start getting our veggie garden in order -- basil, tomatoes, flat leaf parsley.

Spring!

Labels: calla lily, flowers, jacaranda, los angeles, maui, seaons, spring, summer