Monthly Archives: February 2019

Photo Essay

Primavera

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Spring arrives early here in the central mountains of Mexico. Now that the daytime temps are hovering around 75 F. and the skies are consistently clear-baby-blue and sunny, and San Miguel de Allende’s grand old Parque Juarez is bursting with colorful flowering plants for sale, you know it’s Candelaria-time, a celebration of primavera.

A primavera plant at La Candelaria

Adios, winter!

In previous years’ posts I’ve written about the story and meaning behind La Candelaria, so I won’t do so again now. Instead, please go to the WOW archives to find “Where are You, Spring?” published Feb. 3, 2018; and “Flower Power” published Feb. 7, 2017.

This year I’ll just let my photos taken at the current Candelaria fair tell their own stories and allow you to feel as if you’re here enjoying an early primavera with me.

At the entryway to the vast Candelaria fair
Vendors from all parts of Mexico cover miles of pathways in the park. This vendor specializes in bougainvillea and cactus plants.
Another vendor specializes in bonsais, which, I saw, sold briskly
Many vendors have succulents for sale…
as well as fresh herb plants…
but it’s the colorful flowering plants everywhere you look that always steal the show

Able-bodied men with wheelbarrows stand ready to carry purchased plants to customers’ cars. This man offered me a ride in his. “Taxi?” he teased.

As an extra bonus, I’ll add this small poem I just found among the countless (much longer) poems about this most poetic, beautiful, colorful, and hopeful season of the year.

Spring

by Archie Greenidge

Spring is life
Spring is hope
So is love and
happiness.
Spring renews.
Without spring,
life is forlorn.
Spring is nostalgia
after bitter storm.
Put spring in your heart.