The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-04-18

forage plants are in bloom. and II is deli
cious 70 lie down amid the piied-up clover
ana alhieria and note the myriad minute
blossoms that make the earth more bril-
liant than an Oriental rug.
1nere are manners and manners OF
lying in the grass. but there is only one
way, and that is to forget all about one s
self and ones surroundings and lie fiat
upon ones back. Only then is it possible
to see the wondrous beauty of tall tree
tops against the SIX, to note the shadow
outlines of the distant hills Colors come
out with peculiar vividness seen from
among the grasses, com binations un.
dreamt of before are revealed by looking
athwart the slopes. We catch the blue of
the sky reflected in the grass and the flow
ers, as we'll as in the pools. We see the
green of frass and the yellow OF peoples,
the white of the wind tossed orchards
shining back against the heavens and re-
alize how absolutely the world is whole,
no least wayside weed living or dying to
ITSELF
Nature, out here, has arrayed herself in
Easter garments. An Eastern paper of
the date OF April 4 reached me this week,
and in it was exultantly noted the first
crocu3es' were peeping out and other
blossoms might soon be expected. L.
were worth trip across the continent TO
greet the first crocuses, but, lacking that.
we have had wealth of blossoms this
spring and the hills are alive with color.
Oid Cal.fornians tell me that we have ne
Wild flowers com pared to what hloomed in
the early days." Yet on the hills beyond
me L may wade through seas of cream
cups and baby-blue-eyy growing SO
thickly that neither sod nor grass can be
seem glance through the open door at
my hand shows great purple patches OF
-orodeala, and peoples and buttercups
make the slopes mass of color.
Down in the meadow below me child
is gathering her apron full of the
treasures. and her little bobbing white
bonnet seems just on level with the tall
pink mAllows through which she wanders
Within stones throw the yellow iris
blooms royalty, and its cousin, the blue
eyed grass, has literally carpeted the
slope. Some love the wild violets, others
the lilies OF the field, and for all the glori-
GUS poppies are full OF delight, but to me
the blue-eyed grass is the most beautiful
thing that grows. 1t has q more delicate,
wavering grace of form than the true iris,
a tenderer color than the violet, and the
very democracy of its growth out here is
but an, additional charm. 1t is a chill
dren's flower, like the Jolly buttercup.
and. compared to the Eastern variety. our
'blue-eyed grass is fairly rugged blossom.
The first trees to come into LEAKAGE here
abouts are the osier willows. The swamp
willows follow quickly, and later, as depre.
eating the cold cline, so different from
that of its native land, the Oriental will
low, the weeping willow" of common
parlance. One should see these trees
when the leafbuds have just unfolded to
understand the full beauty OF the phrase
in which the Arabian Nights chronicler
describes all fair youth, graceful as
sprig of Oriental wlllow"-albeit, there
seems a Ger tain lack of fitness in speaking
OF one OF those long. down-drooping
sprays OF feathery green as "sprig.'' The
liveoaks come out about the middle of
March in glory of golden foliage that
soon turns dark, glossy green. These
old trees make their annual change of raj
ment with decent dignity that is charac-
teristic OF them, putting on the new man.
tie and then, sheltered by Its radiant
folds, dropping the old one leaf by leaf
softly to the ground.
A little lizard who invaded my house
the other day was less particular. 1t was
hot day, and it may be he was too warm ::
or perhaps his new suit was Just COM
pleted, and he was anxious to note the
fit. At all events he seemed obIiyious
OF my presence, but fused about for
awhile. running back and forth along the
tables edge, and finally went through a
series OF gyrations that at first led me to
fear he was about TO emulate the
SO ueechycumsquees that swollers their
selves" He stretched and twisted and
presently began &c rub his head vigorously
with his tiny front claws. Then, sudden
ly, and with the greatest apparent ease
he turned his skin backward, from the
jaws, and slipped out of it as easily as
lady might draw her hand from a glove.
He was little breathless after the per-
Torrance, and for long time lay quite
still. At last he seemad to take notice of
me. He lifted his head, as though listen
ing intentIy. his throat began to throb
and he finally turned and scuttled away,
leaving his old clothes on my writing
table. The little cast-off garment is a
pretty thing, delicate and transparent
and the wee, empty hands and feet have
a curiously appealing air.
This is great year for butterflies. do
not remember to have noticed so many for
several seasons as throng the air this
spring, fitting beautiful reminders of the
Easter season, for have not they, too,
burst their bonds and come forth to glo-
rious resurrection? This dainty creature
here on the alder, with his white wings,
notified with black and pale-green, what
does he think of the bright world into
which he has Gomez He left the chrysaIis
but yesterday. A week hence he will have
reversed his pretty wings, wrapping them
about his body as these creatures do, in
death, and his little day will have passed
but the sweet old mythos will repea at itself
season after season, the Prince will kiss
the Princess to surprised awakening. we
shall hail the goddess Ostara, patroness of
the springtime. "Who knows" saws
Michelet, but that am the chrysalis OF
a man2'
A Government Orchard.