It is the first of March, and after an unseasonably strong Spring squall last night, it is gloriously warm, sunny, and the scent of ume, or plum blossom, fills the neighbourhood air.
A full smell, floral pungent, sweet; very plum like, but almost savoury, sour, like the delicious umeboshi pickles.
The Black Narcissus 
Lovely photos!
Thanks. You need the smell as well really for the full effect!
How lovely! I never thought of plum blossom as having a smell, though I know apple blossom is gorgeous. It’s -4 and snowing here so good to have a reminder of spring. Also secondary school allocations day – nervous!
Good luck!
( and trust me : these REALLY do smell strong !)
Beautiful photos!
Thanks. After all the recent grey I was like Dorothy in Oz.
Drool.
God, Neil, I am so jealous! We are weeks behind this year, nothing but a couple of lonely crocuses to give any hint that it isn’t the dead of winter on the coast of British Columbia.
So nice to soak up this beauty on the screen. I’m happy for you and Duncan and Japan. Thanks!
It was too glorious not to share. Have you ever smelled Japanese plum blossom? Along with the indigenous narcissi, this smell IS Japan for me as it coincided with when I first came and the scent left an indelible imprint on my psyche. I had never smelled this exact scent before, and when it suddenly starts to rise up in the freezing cold it is almost unbearably poignant.
No, never smelled Japanese plum blossom, at least not the fragrant kind. More jealousy!!! Sounds glorious, especially in that frigid context.
The invisible scent of it really tugs at the heart strings every time.
Poignant must be the perfect word.
It is.
Oh how absolutely glorious that must be. I would totally love to smell ume, it really must be amazing. If only someone had the ability to just bottle the scent and I could just spray it round the house, that would be heavenly.
It would actually.