Seasons in Hawaii are confusing for me. The weather doesn't change enough for me to remember what time of year it is. This can be almost embarrassing, as I form a mental process to decide exactly what month it is: let's see, we've already had Christmas, school isn't out yet, oh and "Alice in Wonderland" just came out. It must be March! When the weather is in the 70s and 80s year-round, it can be hard to remember if it's summer or winter. That's not to say we don't have winter weather here. Hawaiian "winter" means rain and a small drop in temperature. But the trees are still green, and the birds are still flying, and everyone is still wearing shorts.
I am slowly starting to perceive what seasons in Hawaii are. There is mango season and whale season and rainy season. But one season that I love very much is plumeria season. It mirrors the flowering seasons on the mainland. All "winter" the plumeria trees are stark, dead like skeletons. But come March, a few flowers begin to blossom. And then a few leaves show their faces. Before you know it, the whole tree is a-flower and breathing its sweet fragrance into the air. The plumeria trees flower all summer long, which is even better than mainland flowering trees. For those of you on the mainland, if you can find a scented candle or soap that smells like plumeria, you can smell a part of paradise.
The trees like skeletons
Signs of life
Perfection
Some of my all time favorite things: the smell of plumerias, pikake and tuberose in the Hawaiian breeze.
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