lighter than a gentle breeze

I thought that some buds start to come up as leaves fall. 

However, I found the other day an article that reads intangible buds have enough energy to push  autumnal leaves out from branches, quoting an author's words.

Maybe it is true.

It seems that on branches some buds are already prepared during it is leaved out.

In my yard many buds on a plum tree are observed distinctive growth recently, yet they are tightly closed.

on a snowy day

Here in Wakayama, a southern prefecture facing Pacific ocean, there is one of the broadest plum bush field in the country called Minabe with 7,000~8,000 plum trees planted so far in order to gather plums.

They seem to gather them efficiently with some nets. Can you see the blue ones being ready  to spread on the ground?

Plums in this region are sweet, soft and juicy.
The original tree of the species was found more than three hundred years ago, and then great deal of effort has been contributed to increase in number of the trees and to make plums better quality.

According to mild climate some of the trees reached full bloom in mid-Feb, though the wind was still cold when I visited there this week.

The white flowers looks like snowflakes behind the pinkish ones, but how bright the whitish small pieces are.

On the moments when the wind  turns to breeze and  sunlight becomes brighter I feel spring has already come.

It looks that definitely it does for the young couple.

Such landscape as we can see ocean over the field never be expected in Nara prefecture, my residence, where is surrounded by small mountains.

Seeing the view with plum trees partly covering the earth, I thought of people's effort and labor over many many years.

風よりも静かに過ぎてゆくものを指さすやうに歳月といふ　稲葉　京子（１９３３～） 

Just like pointing at

something 

lighter than a gentle breeze

passing by, 

they call it "months and years"

Kyoko Inaba