Blossom time has begun again in California. For the past couple of weeks trees have been blossoming and filling the air with allergens. It can be a bit miserable, but a very beautiful time of year in the Central Valley.

This picture is from several years ago. I used to drive south on I-5 to Patterson on Sunday mornings. I would look out over orchards full of white and pink blossoms and it would really looks like it had snowed on the valley floor.

Right now it is mainly almond trees that are blossoming.

However, the cherry trees are also starting to blossom as well.

Bees are out in force pollinating the blossoms.

As you pass by the almond orchards you see stacks of hives at the end of the rows of trees. As I head south to Patterson on Sunday mornings now I take a two lane road that runs through the orchards. I see the trees slowly turn colors in the spring. The bee keepers watch for the first sign of blooms and get the bee hives set out and then they watch for when the pollination is done and move the hives further north to where they are needed.

It is a beautiful time of year, but I am also happy when it is over and my allergies calm down a bit. For now, I just keep taking my allergy medicine. I also try to remember to put the air in the car on recirculate when I am driving through the areas where trees are in blossom.

Steven