SPRING is here. The winter in Beijing was harder than I had thought. It was icy cold with clear, blue skies most days. And the wind, bitter and penetrating... Only one day of snow, and that wonder of nature was helped along with a little seeding of the clouds by the authorities in charge. And for me it is the snow that makes winter worthwhile, the chance to be outside and play: ski, snowshoe,ice skate,winter hike etc. Without snow, the landscape looks brown and dead.

But, spring is here. We went from night time frost last week to about 27 degree Celsius (high 70s F)presently. Our compound is full of activity: Everywhere great, big hoses are watering the grass, bushes and trees, and as by a miracle they leaf out and start flowering. Magnolias brighten up the landscape in pink and white, and just stop you in your tracks, demanding admiration. And you will find me tugging at the branches, trying to smell the flowers after my good friend Bingbing told me that sniffing magnolias will improve hearing. Too bad the season is so short, right now I can hear very well!! Around the corner you will also see forsythia and beautiful white and pink cherries, check the photos in this blog for a visual treat.

The birds are singing at the top of their voices, especially early in the morning and around 3 PM. It is very common to keep birds here, and just as we walk our dogs at home, here the birds are walked twice a day in their big, wooden cages. As the bird walker walks, he/she swings the cages energetically from side to side. This is because in the wild, a bird is used to sit on branches swaying in the wind. So to improve the ability to cling to a branch, this exercise is done daily. And then when a park is reached, the cage hood is removes, and the birds sit in the sunshine and sing loudly their joyful songs.

Spring cleaning is also in full swing. The compound sidewalks, the outdoor furniture, the awnings are all being scrubbed down by the ayis, even the bottom of the artificial waterways. Every cleaning woman and child care worker here is called an ayi (Or auntie) And they are plentiful, the child ayis usually one per child, and very many cleaning ayis. And, there is more to clean here than any other place I have ever lived. With very little rain, and the pollution, everything gets pretty dusty. Even inside, you have to clean and dust twice a week or you will definitely see visible dust. The average pay for an ayi is 15 RMB pr hour, about $2.20 or close to kr 15.- Not a lot, but quite average for unskilled workers.

Everywhere you will see children and adults alike outside to play, enjoying the new spring. Beijingers really enjoy being outside, and the numerous parks are teeming with activities like morning exercising, pilates, backward walking, ping-pong playing, choir practice , dancing and card playing. It feels like the whole city is emerging from hibernation, awakening anew to the wonder of spring.