Fresno in springtime

California in the springtime: full of flowers, tree blossoms, and plenty of sunlight - again, nothing like western mass. at the present time. No despite yesterday being the official first day of spring, we received another 1/2 inch of snow and with winds as strong as they are, the snow will never melt.

Spring will come though, but in the meantime this article on the Blossom Trail that I found in the LA Times will have to suffice. The author and her family were able to take a leisurely bike ride down this magical trail. Below is a piece from "Blossom Trail: Fresno County road trip plum gorgeous" :

We drove several stretches of the 62-mile Blossom Trail on March 1. The self-guided route, which officially opens Feb. 1, showcases this agricultural area's flowering plum, almond, apricot, peach, nectarine, apple and citrus trees. We stopped first in Sanger for the Blossom Days Festival, its yearly nod to the ritual. The feeling was one of lazy fun. We sat on a curb on 7th Street and dined on plates of barbecue beef and potato salad while petals from nearby trees dropped like gentle rain. Kids gathered them into piles and threw them in the air.

We had come to blossom country to take the annual drive, which covers an area about from Sanger on the north, Reedley on the south, California 99 to the east and Orange Cove to the west (including the part of the trail filled with orange trees). Some trees were just beginning to bud. Others were already bountiful.

Along one length of the trail, we glimpsed the snowy tops of distant mountains, which I first mistook for a long line of clouds. Early March, we found, was a great time to catch the serene scenes.

Peace also reigned at Pine Flat Lake, where we made camp at Island Park, one of several camping areas at this lake, run by the Army Corps of Engineers. The lake is about 18 miles from the Blossom Trail, a drive that took us more than half an hour. If visiting both sites, drive the trail on the way up from L.A. or on the way back home.

To finish the article and for more travel articles, visit Las Angeles Times

Holi Festival, India

Around the world certain occasions are celebrated in different ways. While glancing through the Boston Globe Traveler I found one that would put some literal meaning to Cyndi Laupers song "True Colors." The Holi festival, known to the people of India as the commencement of the spring season is celebrated by singing loudly, dancing, playing games, letting their hair loose and showing their crazy selves. Below is a piece from the article:

Holi is a colorful festival – literally. On “Phalgun Purnima,” toward the end of February or beginning of March each year, revelers gather in the streets to celebrate the blossoming of spring by dousing one another in colored powder and water. Men and women flood the streets and mingle freely, a rare event.

“Holi festival has an ancient origin and celebrates the triumph of ‘good’ over ‘bad’.”

For more information check out the Boston Globe

Spring is here!

Okay, it is not here yet, but if you are in or around the New England area this March you can catch a glimpse of spring at the 2008 New England Spring Flower Show from the 8-16 at the Bayside Exposition Center in Boston from 10-9pm. The show which is claimed to be the start of spring for the near 100,000 "winter-weary" visitors holds several different exhibits, competitions, and lots of entertainment. Here is a piece from the article:
The show is now in its 137th year and has grown to be the third largest flower show in the world.

This year’s theme, Rhapsody in Green, will be interpreted by over 35 landscapes and informational displays. Both the musical and ecological aspects of the theme will be explored in gardens featuring green roof technology, low-water and water-reuse gardens, recycled materials, as well as a central exhibit featuring a stage for live musical performances throughout the show.

Over 200 vendors will offer the best selection of plants, seeds, flowers, garden tools, outdoor furniture, landscape services and structures, and garden-related gift and artwork in the Northeast.

The free lectures and demonstrations at the Flower Show provide a wealth of information and cover a wide range of topics.

To learn more information on this event, make sure and visit the Mass. Horticultural website