Visible here last night above the blueberries that are potted beneath the eaves of LF HQ, the first full moon following the winter solstice tells us two important things:
1. The Chinese New Year (4706, Ji Chou, a.k.a. the Year of the Ox) is fifteen nights away! Are the umes ready to bloom? (I had a beautiful pink one in our former place in Carlsbad that would probably be in bloom any day now–had the new heathen owners not cut it down.)
2. The New Year for Trees, Tu BiShvat 5769, is one month away! Given the cold late December and the warm early January (and with an assist from a leap year), I suspect the almond blooms will come out “on time” this year.
(Lunisolar calendars are the best!)
