Pollentown, U.S.A.

In a fit of utter stupidity, I opened most of the windows upstairs yesterday. (The kids were gone, the wind was blowing; regardless, it was dumb.)

Now, there are actual, literal drifts of green dust on my dresser.

It has to be pine pollen, and not oak, because I can still see and breathe.

But the great and massive Oak Tree of Comfort and Discomfort -- that which supplies us with shade, which provides us with gainful outside activity (leaf raking) September-through-January, which causes us to move the satellite dish every other spring -- this great behemoth is putting out buds.

The end is near.