It's funny how the earth seems to know when the calendar month has turn. Just this week, the sun started coming up earlier, temperatures rose, and wild flowers sent up their preparatory foliage. This morning, our magnolia tree was pure potential, with the tips of the hot pink buds glowing through the fog. Near the shopping center's sign, a cluster of daffodils in full bloom brightened the smoggy corner. Just now, I flung open the window of my office and I can hear the froggy calls of amphibians down along the pond's edge.

We found a brand new hiking trail yesterday morning. It wanders up the mountain along a beautiful, big creek that exists only on the hill.. by the time it reaches our street, it has been re-routed underground. And the neighbors wonder why their yards sometimes flood! The creek has a wonderful rocky bed, and the spring run-off sometimes pours over them smoothly, and other times tumbles with that glorious watery sound. Babbling brook? a funny term. To me the sound is like a well-tuned instrument, a wild percussion of tones, like vibes or a xylophone. The path will be wonderful all year round, because it stays well underneath a lovely forest of bay laurel. This ensures that there will be shade there in a few short months, when the earth has turned again.

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