End of the Dying Season

Mmm hmmmm doooommmm, the Dying Season's reign begins to falter, and still so many people, animals, and plants left living, and so many more recently born. The arctic system coming through now reminds me that it ain't over yet, but the green hills and fruit tree buds think it won't be long. I figure that if the chronically ill make it past February in California they'll probably last until next Winter. The sudden "unexpected" deaths become more likely in Summer of course, Chinese medicine's heart season. These cycles and statistical curves fascinate me, every 24 hours a miniature year. Remember, too much joy is injurious to the heart, especially on Summer afternoons.

When we were in San Diego a couple weeks ago my in-laws gave me a coat. Very dark blue, long, soft, warm, three buttons, made in Romania, the kind more common in the Northeast and Europe. This colder weather gave me the chance to wear it today and I must say that a coat like this really can transform a person. It reminds of a long coat I once purchased at the Berzerkeley flea market during a drunken collegiate spending spree. That one was a black & gray silk-lined wool herring-bone that looked & felt great with a scarf, with bonus action while bicycle riding. I wore it long after the split up the back had started to rip. I have a picture of myself sporting it during a friendly field trip to the waterfall between Monte Rio and Camp Meeker, oozing adventure and broadcasting fancy-free confident essence of fun. A friend borrowed it one cold night, kept it for a few months, and the salty dog arrived home a shadow of rag of a coat. I let it go with all it's adventuring memories. I am realizing this instant that this new blue coat is that old coat reincarnated, super badass. Must find a fitting scarf. This Romanian, dry-clean only coat has charm and charisma, a personality of it's own. Those in-laws they have vision, probably even second sight. More to learn, more veils to lift, as long as the reaper remains on one's left.