I photographed this huisache tree (Acacia farnesiana) at Shoal Creek Blvd. and Foster Ln. on February 16th, the earliest I think I’ve ever seen a huisache tree flowering.

The next time I passed this tree was February 25th, 9 days later, by which time I found the flowers already diminished and faded. In contrast, the huisache tree I know in my neighborhood a few miles away from this site hasn’t flowered at all. Perhaps it still will this year; perhaps it won’t.

The numbers mentioned above will certainly have reminded you that 3 squared + 4 squared = 5 squared. Today is February 27th and 27 = 3 cubed, yet there are no positive integers A, B, and C such that A cubed + B cubed = C cubed. We can easily conceive such a thing but the universe doesn’t allow it.

© 2016 Steven Schwartzman