The local paper gives a Word of the Day which I think is a splendid idea; mostly I have the meaning right but there have been times when I have been greatly wrong and blush to think how often I have used a word incorrectly. The other day the word was lotusland. Now, I had thought this was two words and that the L’s were capitals. Lotus Land. And whenever anyone referred to Victoria as Lotus Land (as I heard it) it sounded somewhat smug. Lotusland is so much friendlier; inclusive.
The definition given was: a place inducing contentment especially through offering an idyllic living situation.
One aspect of the idyllic is definitely the weather. We had a few cold days a week or so ago with frost in the mornings. And, boy, did we complain. The part of me that spent forty-four years in Ontario where frost led to more frost and freezing ground, nose, ears etc. gave a sigh and got out the woolens – blanket, socks, gloves etc. Then Victoria returned to normal. It’s been raining with temperature in the low teens; the air smells like wet leaves and damp earth; I heard a robin singing a spring song and the tulips I planted a week or so ago are showing half an inch above the soil. Certain bushes that begin to bloom in November are beginning to flower. Soon the cherry trees on some city streets will show blossoms. All this at the same time as other trees are gradually but finally losing their leaves. And English violets will begin to put out fragrant flowers in December. Lotusland.