Seasonal Almanac

I was very excited to have come across masses of firecracker vines (Pyrostegia venusta) in Cornwall Street Park this morning when we were doing our morning exercises. The thick vines weighed heavily on the wooden structure above the seating area.

In Asia the vine’s flowering often heralds the coming of the Lunar new year. Sometimes the buds fall on the ground and when stepped on the air inside bursts and makes a tiny pop. A series of little explosions approximates the noise of firecrackers being set off. This used to delight my brother and I to no end, so much so that we once tried to collect the seeds of the plants and grow them in our little terrace garden. I had to restrain myself today not to grab a bunch and set off the crackers.