SPRING FEVER - CALIFORNIA VERSION

I grew up in Montreal, Canada! Although I have lived in southern California over 40 years, I still get spring fever. Not quite as severe as I did in Canada but enough to recognize the symptoms.

As long as I have lived in California, people still ask me what I miss most about Canada. My answer has always been the same. The wonderful aroma of lilacs. People who grew up in southern California cannot understand how important lilacs are to the weary winter mind. After 5 long months of cabin fever, nothing signals spring like the smell of lilacs in the air even though they only last about 3 to 5 weeks, it's absolutely worth the wait. Lilacs need super cold to bloom and southern California weather makes growing lilacs almost impossible. Dedicated growers put 25 lbs of ice on the roots each night for about 4 months and even then, the color might be right but the aroma is very faint

Last week I attended a Moose function in Santa Barbara. Decorating the main table was a vase filled with REAL lilacs. At first I wasn't sure they were real but as I approached the table, the unmistakeable aroma hit my nose and I about passed out. I picked up the vase and stuck my entire face into the blooms. I was in shock. I couldn't imagine how lilacs magically appeared in Southern California. Not only real lilacs but lilacs with the full blossom aroma.

The member who brought them explained that the temperature in the Santa Barbara area this year was so cold that only a small amount of ice was required and her entire bush was filled with the best smelling flowers rather than the few sprigs she usually gets. I was in absolute heaven. I didn't care who was in the room. I sat the vase in front of me the entire evening. I need not have worried about competitionm, since the other attendees had all grown up in southern California and had no idea why these little purple flowers were so important, I had no competition trying to take the vase away from me. Kathy even let me take them home after the Moose function. They only lived 2 days but by that time, I had worn them out.

Now my spring fever is at a maximum level. My lilac sinuses have been opened and they are telling my brain that after 40 years, it's truly spring. This might be the best spring I enjoy since I moved to California. The aroma was exactly what my mind thought had been missing. It's officially spring in California.