Where did the hay fever go?

Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn

Tribeca in Manhattan

Spring is everywhere now. Temperatures are seasonably cool; flowers are in bloom, trees are either sprouting their buds or showing off their blossoms. I should be sneezing or taking my allergy meds, but I'm doing neither. Of course, I'm not complaining, but I'm at a bit of a loss as to what happened to my hay fever this year. My palate does get itchy sometimes, and I have to scratch it with my tongue. My nose does run especially when I first get up, but the spring allergies that usually make me sneeze uncontrollably and pop allergy meds once a day is virtually non existent this year. Tree pollen, which I'm allergic to, is on its way out, so my allergy season is pretty much over.

So what happened? Was it the cold spell that kept winter in the Northeast until just last week? Perhaps the cold kept the pollen at bay. In fact, the air is still somewhat nippy, which makes one question whether winter is really over. Could it also be the technique that I came across online that is supposed to help with the sneezing? Could sticking my nose in a handful of water to wash the nostrils of allergens really make a difference? It could also be my age. Perhaps my allergies are getting weaker as I get older. As I said, I'm not complaining, but I'm curious as to what will happen next year. I guess I'll just have to wait and see. For now though, I'm totally enjoying this spring.