Tuesday, June 29, 2010

On fluff

It’s been snowing a lot lately. I know – crazy Norwegian weather, right? Well, actually, it’s not that kind of snow. It’s some sort of cottonish seed falling from the sky; much like someone was sitting in the top of a very tall tree blowing dandelion parachutes down on us. He would need a lot of dandelions to do that, though, since these candyfloss-like specks have been dancing through the air - day and night, unstoppable except when it rains - for about a week.

The dandelion-candyfloss-snowflakes gather on the road like real snow would. They settle down in your hair, but they don’t melt. They enter my apartment through the open window, and land on the floor where they look suspiciously like albino dust bunnies. If you try to catch them they slip away, brushing their soft fur against your fingers.

Taraxacum sect. Ruderalia by Frank VincentzThis summery snow has an annoying sort of beauty to it. I just brushed one of the seeds off my nose because it made me sneeze. But I cannot stop marvel at the way the specks catch the bright sunlight, or how the larger clouds of them are slowly falling, until they are whirled around by a breath of wind. Seconds later they return to gliding lazily through the air like feathers.

I don’t know what kind of seed it is, but it is definitely not dandelion. All I know is that with the rate they are falling we should have candyfloss trees popping up everywhere next summer.

14 comments:

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

It must seem strange to see this while like "Snow" in June, must look a pretty sight.

Yvonne.

Natasha said...

Candyfloss trees- I can just picture that. Can I send my kids across to Norway next June?

Cruella Collett said...

Yvonne - I have never seen anything like this, at least not in such a quantity. But it is beautiful, in its way :)

Natasha - Of course! And why don't you join them? It's settled then ;)

Nicole said...

oooo *drool* candyfloss trees - does willy wonka live near by?

Cruella Collett said...

Nicole - of course - Good Ol' Willy is the next door neighbour. Why didn't I immediately identify him as the "culprit"? Now I am looking forward to next summer! ;)

Denise Covey said...

Oh, lovely, snow! Wow. It is winter in Australia, but no snow where I live..:)

Erinn said...

"The dandelion-candyfloss-snowflakes gather on the road like real snow would. They settle down in your hair, but they don’t melt. They enter my apartment through the open window, and land on the floor where they look suspiciously like albino dust bunnies. " That is BEAUTIFUL. Its inspiring. Thank you! A lovely piece of writing.

Dr. Mohamed said...

After 10 days straight of above 90F weather, I'd love to see some snow :)

BTW, I just posted a blogger award for you in my latest post. Congrats!

Hart Johnson said...

we get falling fluff too, but it is more like little cotton things... I love it, but I can be a freak that way.

You wrote this really beautifully, just FYI--great imagery.

Jemi Fraser said...

Wow - what a sight they must be! Love the image of candy floss trees :)

Cruella Collett said...

L'Aussie - (awesome name, by the way!) I'm thinking that "winter" in Australia probably equals spring or autumn here. But I might be prejudiced since I have a friend in Brisbane who is trying her best to make me jealous of her superior climate...

Erinn - thank you! Comments like this make me so happy that I might consider never writing anything but lyrical pieces about fluff ever again! (Alright, I won't do that, but your comment really made my day!)

Mohamed - above 90F is what I would define as "gruesome". That is HOT! When I lived in Maryland I felt like I was melting all through August.

And THANK YOU! I am most honoured! :)

Tami - the good kind of freak, though :) Thank you so much, that would be today's best FYI :) (the other one involved a customer, some wrapping paper and a bit of a discussion. I won't get into details...)

Cruella Collett said...

Jemi - you snuck in on me there ;) I wonder if all our candyfloss trees will be white, or if we'll get any of those pink or blue ones?

Katie Rob said...

No fair. We don't even get snow in winter down here in oilspill-ville

Cruella Collett said...

Katie - at least you've got that beautiful, rainbow coloured ocean now, right? No, sorry, it just doesn't work making fun of it. Stupid BP! (I saw a funny video about them spilling coffee the other day, though. Worth checking out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AAa0gd7ClM

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