I was only away from home three days
but it seemed warmer
but it seemed warmer
and the blossoms were everywhere and seemed more blossomy.
The main street of Te Awamutu was a pink celebration
of cherry trees and around the town cherry trees were flowering everywhere
and those little honey bees busily collecting pollen for cherry tree honey.
On the way home to my house
I just had to stop the car to take a photo.
Spring is blossoming!
One year ago this weekend my brother-in-law, Vince, died
and the cherry tree in Linda's front garden was a picture of pink wonder.
We said then, the cherry tree would become part of the ritual of remembering.
One year ago it was also the time of the tsunami in the Samoan Islands.
In Samoa, one year on, they are remembering the loss of many loved ones.
Spring remembering is a hopeful remembering.
How can we feel anything but hopeful
when we look at the cherry trees,
and the honey bees busy at work.
We have survived the winter, the storms, the earthquakes.
How can we not stand in awe that we are here, on this planet, alive!
It's the same here, such wondrous blossom around town, I loved the warmer days and there is more to come. Te Awamutu looked so beautiful when they had these trees up the centre of the main street.
ReplyDeleteYes the main street was a picture M and as the bus shuttled us around the town dropping passengers off at their homes we were oohing and ahhing at the cherry trees everywhere.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful photos. I had just finished writing about the blossoms myself, but haven't yet posted it because I have to go back with my camera first. I often reflect on how seasonal plants evoke memories of losses (and joys) of previous years.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right Juliet. As we grow through life, flowers and trees are so much part of our memories.
ReplyDeleteI loved how you wrote it was a 'celebration of pink'. So true. There's something about a tree lined with blooming cherry trees that both calms and refreshes the soul. Perhaps only the dogwood comes close to doing that. (Do you have dogwood trees in NZ?) You're so right that flowers and trees mark so many of life's passages. Lovely post, Joan, truly lovely.
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely beautiful, Joan. From the cherry blossoms to the sentiments expressed here, ins spite of the sadness and storms that come, we must rejoice in having survived. I imagine that cherry tree honey is quite wonderful. I just picked up some of my favored wildflower honey at a tea shop. The owner said the bee keeper was in last weekend with the hives and filled the bottles with them. Can it get any fresher?
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