Joyful and poignant March

The third lunar month always brings fresh sounds and colors. It's the chirping of birds flitting from branch to branch each morning; the colors of the sun, leaves, and flowers; and scents that are both familiar and new. Therefore, the third month not only brings joyful emotions but also awakens longings and expectations, evoking nostalgia for days gone by...

March arrives, bringing with it the bright golden sunshine of spring. Not as harsh as the summer sun, but enough to make you sweat, and occasionally carrying a lingering chill. The sun pours golden honey, shimmering on the tender young leaves. It awakens the dormant saplings, still asleep, as if winter were still reigning over the land.

A faint, distinctive fragrance of mulberry blossoms lingers in the air. It's strange to say that fragrance has a taste, but if you truly immerse yourself in the rhythm of nature, you can sense the slightly sour, refreshing taste in the scent. The creamy white mulberry blossoms add a fresh touch to the colors of March.

Illustration photo: News Report

Hearing the customer's call, the old barber hurried out. Clapping his scissors, he confided that he was pounding crabs for lunch. He sighed, saying that nowadays almost anything can be farmed. Crabs too. Then he remembered the shrimp from the days when this new urban area was still a wetland: "Shrimp in March, during the heavy rains, are full of eggs. Wild shrimp are very different; when cooked, they turn bright red, not pale like farmed shrimp, and they taste fragrant and firm."

As the sound of the scissors faded, he settled back into his reclining chair on the sidewalk, gazing leisurely at the ancient crape myrtle tree, anticipating its red blossoms. He explained that after shedding its leaves and sprouting new shoots, the crape myrtle usually blooms.

March not only brings new sunshine but also often brings rain. Rain nourishes the eager young shoots, stirring them to life. But strangely, there has been very little rain these past few months. The northeast monsoon winds have been relentless, even as spring is gradually approaching. That's why, in a recent phone call from my hometown, my uncle said that for months there hasn't been a single proper rain shower, causing many crops to die, especially in the gardens of families who have moved from the countryside to the city.

Reflecting on the late cold spell, the sunshine, the rain, I remember the anxious, expectant face of my neighbor who loved ornamental plants. He had bought a very impressive banyan tree and soaked it in water because he heard that soaking it in water would make it bloom more profusely. The young shoots had begun to sprout, but because the tree wasn't yet accustomed to the pot, coupled with the continuous cold spells and lack of sunlight, the shoots gradually withered and dried up. Therefore, he hoped there wouldn't be any more northeasterly winds, and longed for the sun to shine and the rain to fall so that the young shoots would awaken and stir...

In this new urban area, there are families who moved from the countryside. They often reminisce about their hometown gardens, longing for the familiar plants. So, some families bought large pomelo trees and planted them on the sidewalk in front of their houses. In March, clusters of unripe, green pomelos, as big as marbles, peek out from behind the leaves. A few remaining blossoms still linger on the branches, silently illuminating the sky with their pretty smiles. The gentle scent of late-season pomelos wafts on the light spring breeze. Beneath the pomelo trees are sturdy branches covered in thorns. Suddenly, I remember the boiled snails from my poor hometown long ago. The snails dipped in fish sauce with the warm, spicy flavor of ginger and the fragrant aroma of lime leaves. Delicious, but not quite enough; the snails must be extracted using thorns freshly picked from the pomelo tree in the garden. Eating them that way is the only way to fully appreciate their delicious flavor...

March brings fresh flavors, sounds, and colors.

March brings us back to bygone days, to days long gone.

March brings a mix of joy and anxious anticipation...

According to the People's Army

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/han-hoan-khac-khoai-thang-ba-a419333.html