Ah! At last, spring has officially started. Mercifully, after a severe winter, God's colorful Canvas is changing. After months, the giant mounds of snow that I see all around are slowly melting away. The lawn is getting cleansed with lovely snow drops. The sun is shining beautifully and the temperature hovers in the pleasant upper fifties. No drug has such a soothening effect as a sunny spring day.
I see a new lustre in the leaves of the potted plants kept inside the home for the past few months. It seems they anticipated this day. The banana trees have grown fresh light green conical shoots. My most cherished miniature lemon tree has already borne flower buds. It is time to take a trip around, smell the fresh air, see the season's early arrivals in the stores, the flowers, pots, seeds et al. You cannot feel the spring's magic on you by watching the TV or playing on the Android. One needs to step out, take time to wander around and watch the transforming landscape.
At this time, I recall the following Sanskrit poem learnt at school:
Kakah krishnah pikah krishnah
Ko bhedo pika kakayoho?
Vasanta samaye praptey
Kakah kakah pikah pikaha
The crow is black, and the cuckoo is also black
What, then, is the difference between a crow and a cuckoo?
When spring arrives, the crow is a crow, and the cuckoo is a cuckoo.
(refering to the sweet sound of the cuckoo in spring)
Last spring, a sparrow couple built a nest in our porch over a lamp shade. As they made a mess of the place, I removed the the first nest they built. Undaunted, they came again and started rebuilding. This time, I did not disturb them. Instead, I watched with great pleasure the way they built a cosy home and later raise a family of three young ones.
I am waiting for April to enjoy the spring in full bloom. As William Shakespeare said, "April hath put a spirit of youth in everything."
Welcome to Spring!
I see a new lustre in the leaves of the potted plants kept inside the home for the past few months. It seems they anticipated this day. The banana trees have grown fresh light green conical shoots. My most cherished miniature lemon tree has already borne flower buds. It is time to take a trip around, smell the fresh air, see the season's early arrivals in the stores, the flowers, pots, seeds et al. You cannot feel the spring's magic on you by watching the TV or playing on the Android. One needs to step out, take time to wander around and watch the transforming landscape.
At this time, I recall the following Sanskrit poem learnt at school:
Kakah krishnah pikah krishnah
Ko bhedo pika kakayoho?
Vasanta samaye praptey
Kakah kakah pikah pikaha
The crow is black, and the cuckoo is also black
What, then, is the difference between a crow and a cuckoo?
When spring arrives, the crow is a crow, and the cuckoo is a cuckoo.
(refering to the sweet sound of the cuckoo in spring)
Last spring, a sparrow couple built a nest in our porch over a lamp shade. As they made a mess of the place, I removed the the first nest they built. Undaunted, they came again and started rebuilding. This time, I did not disturb them. Instead, I watched with great pleasure the way they built a cosy home and later raise a family of three young ones.
I am waiting for April to enjoy the spring in full bloom. As William Shakespeare said, "April hath put a spirit of youth in everything."
Welcome to Spring!
