“While we speak, envious time will have already fled: … ” Horace
When my wife and I moved into Hood River last April, a canopy of white blossoms greeted us from a flowering cherry in our yard. Once again, demitasse sized blooms decorate the tree. The petals detach and fall, shards of velvet that land undamaged on the grass below.
The arcane pleasures of living in town grow on me. My medical appointments occur at the county hospital, just blocks away. The nurses adhere to strict protocols of treatment for my cancer, multiple myeloma. Yet, when I go there, I feel like I’m visiting neighbors for tea and conversation.
The close proximity of other activities leads to spontaneity and new found community. My wife and I walk to local restaurants, markets, and coffee shops. I’ve joined a book club. I interact with friends more. And, I still find ample time for being alone, something writers crave.
Though we might have celebrated the anniversary of our move to town, we were happily distracted by the birth of our granddaughter.
Today, I read and write on the back porch. Earth’s renewal, everlasting and fleeting, surrounds me.
In the pines nearby, a chorus of doves croon ballads of love. And song sparrows flit among the boughs of a paper birch that drapes the fence. They cling to the branches, which bob in a breeze, and rehearse the phrasing of an avian hymn, repeating again and again their alleluia to spring.
Good Blood, Bad Blood 
It’s so nice to hear that you feel such a closeness to your caregivers. That tree looks stunning. You could probably lose hours staring up at those blossoms.
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A west wind arrived, it’s snowing blossoms. I’m mesmerized
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Your post makes me want to move to the city.
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Our move was slow to evolve. It occurred precisely when it should.
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Your words leave me peaceful.
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I was also at peace writing this. Glad that seeped through.
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All of it is evocative, but I especially relate to your enchantment with the bird songs. I feel that same enchantment when I hear them. Thank you for this.
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Yes, my love for birds goes back to the years in Yosemite and a friend named Jimbo. We spent a winter hiking and bird watching in Wawona.
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Alleluia to spring indeed! What a beautiful posting, John. You sound so happy and content. Your little granddaughter is so lovely.
Sending lots of good wishes your way.
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TY Liliana. Yes, newborns are precious.
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beautiful, evocative and poetic
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