Monday, April 6, 2009

Buzzzz....hummmm....ribbit!








This weekend I spent many hours out in our yard. It was the first dry weekend since January and the warmest since October, so being inside was not an option! The Japanese maple trees are budding, the cherry tree is in full bloom, rhododendrons have bursts of color all over and everything feels alive.

I wondered how many people never have the chance, or take the time to stop
and hear
and feel
and smell
and see the world around them.

I stood under the cherry tree and wondered if it might levitate - the buzzing of hundreds (thousands?) of honeybees sipping the sweetness from the blossoms was a steady, raging, sound. I could almost feel the vibration of thousands of wings above me. I cheered the bees on, having recently read that humankind can only exist for 2 years if honeybees disappear.

The hummingbirds were focused on sucking the nectar from the currant blossoms but they don't stay in one place for long and when a hummingbird whirs by on its way to the next treat, the sound is a sudden reminder that one false move could result in hummingbird beak impalement to the head. They go with such speed - they act frantic with hunger, but they always seem playful. I suspect that they buzz humans just for the thrill.

As the day warmed I became aware of a loud and distinct snapping sound coming from the Douglass Fir trees in the neighbor's yard. The fir cones open up on warm days, spilling their seeds to the ground - even after the sun set last night I could still hear the pops and snaps of cones opening.

The frogs in our pond were especially noisy last night. Sam had cleaned the pond and it was as if the frogs were hosting a party for their newly cleaned and restored abode. Rather than the occasional "ribbit," there was a steady, roaring chorus all night long. I suspect that no one in the neighborhood had a sound sleep.

And then the smells - the creamy sweetness of Daphne floats on even the slightest breeze and there is an Italian bush of some sort next to the pond that has a deep fragrance...the lilacs will bloom soon and I breath deep their scent for as long as the flowers last.

Last night the moon was clear and the stars were bright and we took the dog out without needing coats...life is good.

"No man sinks under the burden of the day. It is only when yesterday's guilt is added to tomorrow's anxiety that our legs buckle and our backs break. It is delightfully easy to live one day at a time!" --Corrie Ten Boom

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