A friend emails me the splendid experience of noticing pink snow on a downtown sidewalk and then looking up and realizing the cherry trees lining that street are in glorious bloom. At lunchtime the Japanese chef in the restaurant mentions the cherry blossoms as well, knowing I share his delight in their annual appearance. So I take my sushi and picnic under a tree. Then I walk the three blocks of View Street and touch each of the fifty-six trees and try for the connection of nature, human and otherwise. Each and every year I bless whoever had the vision of planting such urban orchards. Yates Street and Princess Avenue and Haultain Avenue - these will all take their turn in pink and white flowers on lines of trees. They are worth a walk at any time of day in any weather during their blooming, but if you can manage an evening walk just after a rain when the trees shake down both scent and petals - ah!
Years ago my Mom was visiting from Edmonton at this time of the year..blossom time on Moss Street! I was driving a small car with a sun roof. She was so impressed with the street FULL of pink blossoms...I opened the sunroof and drove directly under a large branch hanging down full of blossoms...the branch came half way into the car and we just sat there and fell in love with life and all it's beauty. So needless to say, you mentioning the blossoms brought back a flood of wonderful wonderful memories of this time together with my Mom... she died in 1996 and I miss her so very much. (Wouldn't she just love my grandkids!) Hugs, Esther.
Posted by: Esther | February 11, 2005 at 10:08 PM