As an urban-o-phile who finds density and metropolitan living appealing, descriptions of Shanghai resonate deeply with me. And while Oakland is a large, bustling and vibrant, city, it is on a much smaller scale and level of concentration. Sometimes I wish for greater density and proximity--for the excitement and energy that is cultivated by those conditions.
Fortunately, for me, Spring has arrived. Spring is the season that satisfies my passion for urbanity– and does so in unexpected ways. For it is in spring that the Bay Area bursts into life. In this dry Mediterranean climate, the period when the winter rains transition to dry, warm days, provides the fleeting window of opportunity for plants to grow and thrive--and they do so with vigor. There is a sudden explosion of green in our landscape. Even the cracks in the sidewalk become hospitable to life, as every green thing shoots forth tender new growth and our cityscape is lush and verdant for a few short months.
Some people question the concept of seasonal change in Northern California. The signs may be more subtle, but in my mind that makes them all the more poetic. There is no denying that spring here is a green thing. But it is also about light. As the days lengthen and cloudy days give way to blue sky, spring brings with it a reminder of the changing position of the sun. Still low in the sky for most of the day, sunlight in spring, is able to sneak under eaves and through windows, back-lighting curtains and the new leaves of trees in much the same way. 
Oh - I miss the bay area! This is my favorite time of year in CA too, and it is because of all the change in the landscape. Every day is bigger and greener. Thank you for sharing :)
ReplyDelete