The winter coats have been shed, the bermuda shorts and flip flops are making a comeback now and the general happiness in the air is so noticeable..However, it still rains at times though not as heavy as before.
The weather is a lot less cold now. Spring flowers blossoming everywhere. A few hail episodes and a very brief snow moment early one morning. The hails/sleet/whatever the name is kinda like between a "real" hail and "real" snow. I'll call this half-snow. (weather experts please correct me.)
But that one morning, when the thready and cottony flakes floats gently down from the sky..I was there to witness it.. it was 8 something in the morning. It melts so much faster than the average hail and the half-snow. It was not like balls as oft depicted in pictures and cartoons but rather thready and long. I tried tasting it and it didn't have any taste ( or maybe it was too small for my unsensitive tongue to taste..). Nonetheless, it has been quite fun to have snow here albeit briefly. The hails however are quite awesome. The best indication that it's hailing is when you hear small rocks hitting the ground. From afar it actually is kinda like the snow we see in pictures, the hailstones being round and white and all..and if they cover the ground one would think that they are snow. (I tried tasting some and they were a little salty, i don't know why..) Sorry, jakun moment. :D
The flowers are another wonderful spectacle. Daffodils are blooming a lot less now, but the dandelions are springing up everywhere. Even by the roadside, pavement... They are the ones with the ball of seeds that gets blown by the wind... (I've done it and it is everything and more that you see on tv....it's awesome! ) Holding the stem of the ball-ish seed thingy (it's called a dandelion clock) and blowing the little tufts of seed (it's called achene and the hair is called pappus) brings a wonderful feeling..you're literally helping it to spread its seeds.
I've also had the fantastic and privileged company of my esteemed housemate who is very much educated in the lore of botany. She has taught me a lot of...from names of flowers to its latin terms and the characteristics which define the plant...
From my room, I've the lovely view of the backyard. I've seen many birds but the only two that I am able to name by sight is the red-breasted robin and the magpie. I see them picking twigs, leafs, dead stems to make their nests. I've also seen a few nests but not from my room of course. Oh yea...i've also seen blue tits (the bird). As I'm typing this there is one outside now. Very tiny bird..
On a more dismal note, exams are looming. Books will have to be redusted and taken off the shelves. The library is getting more crowded by the day. Everyone is starting to feel the dread and the cramming season is in full swing. Speaking of which, I have gotta go get my PIL essay done. Till then...
Some flower that looks so much like cherry blossoms...called crabapples..
A magnolia bud..
Daisy
Birch tree..
Some kinda hibiscus apparently..
Alpine forget-me-nots
A small statue in Alexandria Gardens
Red primulas
Yellow primulas
White primulas
Forsytsia...
Violets..
Whitish pink crabapples..
Dandelion
