봄이 오면 산에도 꽃이 핍니다. 일찍 피는 샛노란 꽃들이 새봄을 알려줍니다. 동네에는 노란 산수유 꽃이, 산에는 생강나무 꽃이 대개는 피지만 두 가지를 구별하는 것을 기대하기란 우리네 자연공부가 일천합니다. 문교부든 교육부든 거기가 거깁니다. 그런데 노란꽃이라면 개나리 외에는 잘 알지 못하는 수준으로 보면 두 가지 꽃이 헛갈리는 것은 80점은 줘야 하는 괜찮은 수준이라고 강변하고 싶습니다. 게다가 음력 섣달이면, 양력으로 12월말~1월 정도에, 그 찬공기를 마시면서도 노란 꽃을 피우는 납매(臘梅)를 알면 탁월한 수준이라고 볼 수 있습니다. 그러다가 좀 더 날이 풀려서 생강나무, 산수유, 개나리가 피고 지고, 산천에는 진달래가 피어나고 연달래도 이어서 피고 그 사이에 화려한 벚꽃도, 산벚꽃도 피어서 우리 동네 대자산을 장식합니다.
그러다가 새로운 초록이 짙어가는 5월에 들어서면, 대자산에 눈에 띄는 꽃들은, 노란색, 붉은 색, 분홍색에서 이제 흰색으로 주조가 바뀝니다. 5월 초에는 조팝나무 흰꽃이 피기 시작하다가 이팝나무에게 바통을 전달합니다. 이팝나무라는 이름을 생각하면 춘궁기라고 하는, 이팝>이밥>쌀밥으로 이어지는 배고픈 옛봄의 기억이 소환됩니다. 오죽하면 이팝나무의 흐드려지게 핀 모습을 보면서 쌀밥을 떠올렸을까요^^ 조팝>조밥만 가지고는 양을 채우지 못해서 쌀밥까지 … 하여간 5월 중순의 대자산은 하얀 아까시아 꽃과 그 향기로 가득합니다. 하순으로 접어들면서 이제는 떨어진 아카시아 꽃잎과 떼죽나무의 꽃잎들로 길까지 꽃길이 되었습니다. 영변의 약산 진달래꽃 아니라도 사뿐히 즈려밟고 갈 수 밖에 없습니다.
오늘은 모처럼 토요일이고 열흘 전부터 참여하기 시작한 ‘에스라사랑 걷기 잔치’도 계속되는 중이니까 아침산책에 가뿐히 만보를 채워보고 싶은 욕심도 있고 토요일 아침이라도 천천히 살자는 생각으로 산길을 올랐습니다. 음악을 들으며 예쁜 꽃들을 만나며 사진을 찍기도 하는 호사를 누렸습니다. 오늘 아침에 건진 보화와 같은 꽃은 으아리 야생화 군락지를, 출발해서 멀지 않은 곳에서 만났습니다. 사실 작년에 그 근방에서 보았기에 며칠째 벼르면서 살폈는데 드뎌 아내가 발견해서 찍사의 본능이 발휘되었습니다. 바로 옆에는 북부지방 산림청의 로고와 함께 공동산림사업 임산물 활성화라는 부제에 무슨 농장 야생화 연구숲이라고 빨강글씨로 출입금지 패말까지 달렸지만 이번 봄에 과연 무슨 야생화를 연구했는지 궁금합니다.(그 연구가 주민들의 삶에 무슨 관련이 있다고 작년까지 자유롭게 드나들던 곳을 막았는지도 ㅠㅠ)
네, 아랫지방에는 이미 피고 진 병꽃도 고양동 대자산에는 이제 핍니다. 게다가 대자산에 점점 세력을 넓히고 있는 일본목련이, 그 크고 멋있는 잎사귀 때문에, 자주 눈에 들어옵니다. 산을 오르다가 어느 기업체의 묘지로 알려진 곳을 지나다 보니, 작년에 보지 못한 노란 꽃이 피어있었습니다. 남쪽 지방에는 도로변에 흔하게 피어있는 “촌스런” 금계국이었습니다. 비록 조용히 외롭게 피어있지만 그 바이올렛 자태를 숨길 수 없는 붓꽃도 있고, 아까 언급한 떼죽(때쭉)나무 하얀꽃은 능선 숲길을 따라 여기저기에 나타나고, 크고 작은 크기의 싸리떨기는 분홍색꽃을, 게다가 산딸기와 찔레꽃과 개망초, 아직 다 떨어지지 않은 백당나무 꽃도 각기 다른 높이에서 흰자태를 보여줍니다. 정확히는 툴립나무라고 하지만, 흔치 않는 백합나무 꽃도 대자산 산책로에는 피어있습니다. 물론 노란꽃도 다 사라진 것은 아닙니다. 어디서나 흔히 만나는 애기똥풀과 고들빼기도 눈여겨보면 예쁩니다. 5월을 가정의 달이 아니라 여성의 달로 지키는 어느 교회 5월 표어 <저마다 아름다운 꽃, 여성>이 생각납니다. 네, 저마다 아름다운 꽃들이 지천으로 피고 지는데 너무 일에만 매이지 마시고 꽃들에도 눈길을 한 번 주십시오. 일은 끝나지 않고 인생은 끝납니다. 봄날은 갑니다.
When spring comes, flowers bloom on the mountains as well. Early-blooming, vivid yellow blossoms announce the new spring. While Cornelian cherry flowers usually bloom in the village and spicebush blossoms in the mountains, expecting someone to distinguish between the two is asking too much of our meager education in nature. Whether Ministry of Education or whatever name it takes, it has always been much the same. Yet, considering that many people know no yellow flower other than forsythia, I would argue that confusing these two still deserves at least an eighty out of a hundred. Moreover, if someone can recognize the wintersweet (chimonanthus), which braves the chilly air to bear yellow blossoms during the twelfth lunar month—around late December to January on the solar calendar—they could be considered truly exceptional. As the weather warms further, spicebushes, Cornelian cherries, and forsythias bloom and fade; across the hills and valleys, azaleas open followed by royal azaleas, and in between, lavish cherry blossoms and mountain cherry trees burst forth to adorn our neighborhood's Mount Daeja.
Then, as we enter May and the fresh greenery deepens, the prominent flowers on Mount Daeja shift their dominant tones from yellow, red, and pink into white. In early May, the white blossoms of bridal wreath (spiraea) begin to flower before handing the baton over to the fringetrees (Chionanthus retusus). The name of the fringetree—ipap-namu—evokes hungry spring memories of past hardships known as the spring lean season, tracing from ipap to ibap and finally to white rice (ssal-bap). How impoverished people must have been to look at the profuse blooms of the fringetree and be reminded of a bowl of fluffy white rice!^^ Finding that millet rice (jobap, evoking bridal wreath) was not filling enough, their imaginations stretched to white rice... In any case, by mid-May, Mount Daeja is brimming with white black-locust (acacia) blossoms and their sweet fragrance. Moving into the late days of the month, the fallen petals of locust blooms and snowbell blossoms carpet the ground, turning the very paths into trails of flowers. Even if they are not the famed azaleas of Mount Yaksan in Yeongbyeon, one cannot help but tread softly upon them.
Today, being a long-awaited Saturday and right in the middle of the 'Ezra Love Walking Festival' in which I began participating ten days ago, I set out on the mountain trail with the modest ambition of easily reaching ten thousand steps during my morning walk, while also resolving to live leisurely on a Saturday morning. I enjoyed the luxury of listening to music, meeting lovely wildflowers, and snapping photos along the way. The treasure I discovered this morning was a colony of wild virgin's bower (Clematis terniflora), found not far from my starting point. In fact, having seen it in that area last year, I had been watching for it attentively over the past few days. Finally, my wife spotted it, awakening my inner photographer. Right beside it was a sign bearing the logo of the Northern Regional Forest Service, a subtitle about promoting forest products in cooperative forestry projects, and a red-lettered 'No Trespassing' sign declaring it a research forest for farm wildflowers. One wonders what wildflowers they actually studied this spring. (And what connection such research has to the lives of local residents that justified blocking off a path where people walked freely until last year? ㅠㅠ)
Yes, the Korean weigela flowers that have already bloomed and faded in the southern regions are only now coming into bloom here on Mount Daeja in Goyang-dong. In addition, the Japanese bigleaf magnolia, spreading its territory on Mount Daeja, frequently catches the eye with its large, magnificent foliage. As I walked up the mountain past what is known as a corporate cemetery, I noticed a yellow blossom I had not seen last year. It was the tickseed (Coreopsis basalis), often regarded as 'rustic' and commonly found along roadsides in the south. There were also irises, quietly and lonesomely in bloom, yet unable to conceal their dignified violet grace; the aforementioned white blossoms of the Japanese snowbell appearing here and there along the ridge trails; bush clovers of various sizes displaying pink florets; and mountain raspberries, wild roses, daisy fleabanes, and the lingering flowers of the cranberry bush showing off their white figures at varying heights. Though more precisely called the tulip tree, the uncommon yellow poplar blossom was also blooming along the trails of Mount Daeja. Of course, the yellow flowers have not all disappeared. The greater celandine and Korean lettuce that one encounters everywhere are quite charming if observed closely. I am reminded of a church's May slogan that designated May as Women's Month rather than Family Month: "Each a Beautiful Flower: Woman." Indeed, beautiful flowers bloom and fade all around us everywhere; please do not remain tied solely to your labor, but spare a gentle glance for the flowers. Work never ends, but life does. Spring days are passing.
Wanneer die lente aanbreek, blom die blomme ook op die berge. Vroeë, heldergeel bloeisels kondig die nuwe lente aan. In die dorpsbuurt blom meestal die geel kornoeljekersiebloeisels, en teen die berg die gemmerbosse, maar om te verwag dat ons die twee kan onderskei, vra te veel van ons skrale natuurkennis. Of dit nou die ou Departement van Onderwys of die nuwe Ministerie is, dit bly maar dieselfde. Tog wil ek beweer dat, aangesien die meeste mense geen ander geel blom as die forsythia ken nie, dit al minstens tagtig persent werd is as iemand tussen hierdie twee twyfel. En as iemand boonop die wintersout (Chimonanthus) ken—wat in die twaalfde maanmaand, so rondom einde Desember tot Januarie op die sonkalender, die koue lug trotseer om geel bloeisels voort te bring—kan 'n mens dit as werklik uitstaande beskou. Soos die weer verder versag, blom en verwelk die gemmerbos, kornoeljekersie en forsythia; oor heuwels en dale breek die asaleas oop, gevolg deur die koninklike asaleas, en tussenin versier pragtige kersiebloeisels en bergkersies ons buurt se Daeja-berg.
Namate ons Mei binnegaan en die nuwe groen verdiep, verskuif die oorheersende kleurskema van die blomme op Daeja-berg van geel, rooi en pienk na wit. Vroeg in Mei begin die wit bruidsruikerbloeisels (Spiraea) blom voordat hulle die aflosstokkie aan die sneeuvlokkiesbome (Chionanthus retusus) oorhandig. As 'n mens aan die Koreaanse naam vir die sneeuvlokkiesboom (ipap-namu) dink, bring dit herinneringe na vore aan die skraal lentetye van ouds, wat strek van ipap na ibap en uiteindelik na wit rys (ssal-bap). Hoe honger moes die mense tog nie gewees het om na die oorvloedige bloeisels van die boom te kyk en aan 'n bak wit rys herinner te word nie!^^ Omdat die giersrys (jobap, wat herinner aan die bruidsruiker) nie genoeg was om die maag te vul nie, het die verlange tot by wit rys gestrek... Hoe dit ook al sy, teen die middel van Mei is Daeja-berg vol wit akasiabloeisels en hul soet geur. Teen die einde van die maand het die paadjies selfs in blomroetes verander weens die gevalle akasiablare en die blomblare van die storaksbome. Selfs al is dit nie die beroemde asaleas van Yaksan in Yeongbyeon nie, kan 'n mens nie anders as om sagkens daarop te trap nie.
Vandag was dit uiteindelik weer Saterdag, en aangesien die 'Ezra-liefde Stapfees', waaraan ek tien dae gelede begin deelneem het, nog voortduur, het ek met die hoop om maklik tienduisend treë tydens my oggendwandeling aan te teken die bergpad aangedurf—saam met die voorneme om op 'n Saterdagoggend rustiger te leef. Ek het die luuksheid geniet om na musiek te luister, lieflike blomme te ontmoet en foto's te neem. Die skat wat ek vanoggend ontdek het, was 'n kolonie wilde bosranke (Clematis), nie ver van my vertrekpunt af nie. Om die waarheid te sê, aangesien ek dit verlede jaar in daardie omgewing gesien het, het ek al dae lank stip daarna gesoek, en uiteindelik het my vrou dit raakgesien, sodat my fotografeerdrang dadelik vlamgevat het. Vlak langsaan was die logo van die Noordelike Streekbosboukantoor met 'n subtitel oor die bevordering van bosprodukte in gemeenskaplike bosbouprojekte, en selfs 'n bordjie met rooi letters wat 'Toegang Verbode' aankondig omdat dit 'n navorsingswoud vir plaaswildeblomme sou wees. 'n Mens wonder watter wildeblomme hulle werklik hierdie lente nagevors het. (En watter verband so 'n navorsing met die inwoners se lewens het dat 'n mens 'n plek moet versper waar almal tot verlede jaar vrylik kon wandel? ㅠㅠ)
Ja, die Koreaanse weigela-bloeisels wat in die suidelike streke reeds geblom en verwelk het, begin nou eers op Daeja-berg in Goyang-dong oopgaan. Bowendien val die Japannese grootblaar-magnolia, wat al hoe meer veld wen op Daeja-berg, gereeld die oog op met sy groot, statige blare. Terwyl ek teen die berg opgestap het en verby 'n bekende begraafplaas van 'n maatskappy geloop het, het ek 'n geel blom gesien wat ek nie verlede jaar opgemerk het nie. Dit was die 'eenvoudige' goudknoop (Coreopsis), wat volop langs die paaie in die suide blom. Alhoewel hulle eensaam en stil blom, is daar ook irisse wat nie hul pers elegansie kan verberg nie; die reeds genoemde wit storaksbloeisels verskyn hier en daar langs die bergrante; boesjies van verskillende groottes vertoon pienk bloeisels; en bergframbose, wilde rose, fynskedelkruid en die oorblywende bloeisels van die Gelderse roos pronk op verskillende hoogtes met hul wit gedaantes. Al word dit meer presies 'n tulpboom genoem, blom die seldsame geelpopulier ook langs die wandelpaaie van Daeja-berg. Natuurlik het die geel blomme ook nie heeltemal verdwyn nie. Die stinkende gouwe en wilde blaarslaai wat 'n mens oral teëkom, is ook beeldskoon as 'n mens mooi kyk. Dit herinner my aan die Mei-leuse van 'n sekere gemeente wat Mei as Vrouemaand in plaas van Gesinsmaand vier: "Elkeen 'n Pragtige Blom: Vrou." Ja, pragtige blomme blom en vergaan orals rondom ons; moenie uself net aan werk vasbind nie, maar gun uself 'n oomblik om na die blomme te kyk. Werk hou nooit op nie, maar die lewe gaan verby. Die lentedae gaan verby.