Plants

St. Louis Springs are like Fall unfolding. Rather than green fading to dying brown, autumn’s last colors are increasingly giving way to green in all its variations. Light green, dark, medium, pale, yellow green, bluish. Among the verdant defiant, bright purple or pale pink flowers on late blooming tree, joined by vivid red and yellow tulip. I have never seen such a Spring.

Today, everything had a thick coat of pale green from the pollen, and even the darkest color car looks washed out and faded. Tonight, I opened both bedroom windows to catch the cool air, and when I later returned to the computer, the keyboard was covered with a fine layer of dust. And when we walk, we’re accompanied by headache and shortness of breath, peering out at the green through eyes red and teary. Spring here is for the plants — animals will just have to bide their time until this procreative moment is past. Close one’s eyes, and think of England.