SUMMER

It's officially summer - the dry season - in Honduras. In Santa Rosa it has hardly rained and so my street and much of the country are full of dust. Sometimes I feel as if I am eating dust.

It's also been fairly hot - some days in the high eighties.

But on a visit to the countryside last week I noticed that the coffee trees were starting to bloom. The white flowers are beautiful and give off a fragrance that has reminded me of honeysuckle.

Tuesday, on the way to San Pedro Sula by bus, I noticed the flowering trees. The acacia, called the arbol de fuego - the fire tree 0r flame tree, with its beautiful red flowers. Several other trees with varied hues of red or purple. I have even seen some with yellow blossoms.

It's amazing that with all the dryness and dust, the trees are showing off myriad colors. What a joy.

On Wednesday Father Efraín Romero and I arrived in Washington, DC, for a few visits before going to Iowa. The dogwoods and a pink tree were in flower.

We'll see what Iowa has in store for us.