february

February in California catches me off guard every year. After a lifetime on the East Coast and a stint in Europe, I tend to think of February as a month solidly ensconced in winter, with many cold and dreary weeks blocking the path to summer. But in California, February is spring time. The days start getting longer, the plants have put out new shoots, and the trees (ohmygod the trees) bloom as if they have no idea that it's winter anywhere else. This year, they got started last week, probably because of extra rain we've been getting, and seeing all the green and white and pink everywhere is a welcome reminder that summer is just around the corner.