The turning of the wheel

Four years ago I visited a temple complex near the science city of Daedeok, Daejeon, South Korea. With that unnerving SE-Asian focus, there are said to be 18,000 researchers in the city, of whom 5,000 have doctorates. It was March, and the magnolias in the temple grounds were in full flower. Here, near London, they flower a few weeks earlier, and together with the plum blossom (ume) 李花 [りか], there are some fine old examples nearby. The days are lengthening, and while still cold, you know that you can make it to the spring. How more they must have welcomed those signs in earlier times.
I was reminded of this last week while visiting the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (WTSI) at Hinxton. Set in beautiful parkland, though the day was grey and snowdrops were carelessly everywhere, the crows were busy about noisy crow business in the tops of their trees. It was good to just be, everything was sufficient.
A gift accepted with bows.