In spite of, or more likely because of the dry and unseasonably hot weather of late, this apple tree, which was likely planted many, many years ago – it came with the house – has decided to flower such as it hasn’t since the late nineties.  Perhaps it has decided that the times, they are a changin’, and now would be a good time to reproduce.  The drought has, after all, lasted about four years, and the water outlook here in California is bleak.  Perhaps it is simply an age thing, or a temperature thing.  In any case, this old apple, and other mature trees around the property, including pears, other apples, plums, and even the native madrones, are flowering such as I’ve never seen.  A good fruit year might well be the silver lining on what is otherwise looking like a generally bleak year for plants.