The Importance of April 2024
“Winter’s done, and April’s in the skies. Earth, look up with laughter in your eyes!” — Charles G.D. Roberts
April is the harbinger of spring, it’s a promise that winter’s done, and summer will follow. Color dazzles the eyes and the air is perfumed with the scent of flowers. My spirits feel lighter, and I feel like twirling in joy to a melody that only I seem to hear.
Easter, Passover and Spring break are things that we know and recognize and perhaps other milestones like Earth Day and National Book Day most of us might know of, but if you google April Holidays and Observances you will get a very interesting list amongst which are things like Mani Pedi Day, National Walking Day, National Deep-Dish Pizza Day etc.
I of course have gone a bit overboard with joy and exuberance in seeking out the wildflowers madly blooming in the hills and valleys of California. One trip to Northern California is already under my belt and I have a host of planned visits to gardens and locations where the wildflowers are blooming.
Stay tuned for more flower sightings on this blog.
My recent trip to India has awakened my spirituality, so this year observance of earth day makes me think of the Sanskrit chant; the Gayatri Mantra that is said to contain all the knowledge of the universe and provides universal light and wisdom when chanted.
In a little-known garden in New Delhi India which is dedicated to the knowledge of the ancient Vedas is this metal sphere transcribed with the entire gayatri Mantra, thanks to @ramankapur for arranging to bring me here.
In observance of earth day, Maya Angelou’s words “We need joy as we need air. We need love as we need water. We need each other as we need the earth we share.” best describes our initiative to preserve this earth we live in as a legacy for future generations.
While we’ve had ample rainfall this year in California, the earth has been drying out and the flowers are just starting to bloom.
Their color a feast for the eyes.
The roses are bursting with color though there are still buds a plenty that will keep these gardens in full bloom for another couple of weeks.
Along with me, people were out in full force, walking around, sitting on the benches or on blankets and rugs amongst the flowers enjoying the beautiful afternoon. What a beautiful way to get in some steps while feasting on nature’s bounty.
Signs of spring were everywhere. I need to get a book to learn the names of the flowers and trees. I love the color and beauty but am abysmal at names.
It’s definitely coming up roses everywhere you go here at the Huntington Rose Garden. Reds, pinks, yellows, orange, white, all nodding their heads in the sun.
A patch of wildflowers that are blooming all over the hills and dales of California.
Neighborhood gardens are also ablaze with color. This house and garden is my personal barometer in my neighborhood of the changing seasons and a great incentive to get off my couch and go for a walk.
In honor of national book day, and independent bookstore day we visited the Pilgrims Way bookstore in Carmel California. It was fun taking a quick browse through the store and the garden tucked away behind but what stays in my memory are some of the signs on the walls.
While April may not feature a Thanksgiving Day, this one definitely made me raise my eyes to heaven and thank the universe for the blessings of family, friends, home and health.