Katsushika Hokusai, 1834"Loveliest of trees, the cherry now
Is hung with bloom along the bough,
And stands about the woodland ride
Wearing white for Eastertide."
A.E. Housman
Eastertide is the 50-day celebration from Easter Sunday until Pentecost. It is the most ancient and beautiful church season, corresponding with the time of blossoming trees, warm days and open windows (hopefully clean ones.)
Late in the afternoon I'm starting to see hard-working, persecuted city bees. It makes me cringe to walk through Home Depot past aisles of pesticides. So-- they have their dangerous work ahead, pollinating the old city fruit trees. Speaking of which, I see our plum has a few blossoms now, despite the whacking I gave it.
The plum tree has been a thriving aphid factory for the last few summers, which sorely tempts a person to indulge in the poison section at the nursery. Instead I tried some "environmentally safe" (is there such a thing?) dormant oil spray this winter, and we'll see what the year brings in the way of critters and fruit.
Late in the afternoon I'm starting to see hard-working, persecuted city bees. It makes me cringe to walk through Home Depot past aisles of pesticides. So-- they have their dangerous work ahead, pollinating the old city fruit trees. Speaking of which, I see our plum has a few blossoms now, despite the whacking I gave it.
The plum tree has been a thriving aphid factory for the last few summers, which sorely tempts a person to indulge in the poison section at the nursery. Instead I tried some "environmentally safe" (is there such a thing?) dormant oil spray this winter, and we'll see what the year brings in the way of critters and fruit.
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