Blossom Time

Barely knowing what day it is, I'm measuring time passing by observing the changes on our walks.  As we have taken one of two routes every day since lockdown began,  I've watched the trees and bushes blossom in turn. First were the tiny white petals on the blackthorn way back before Easter and the egg yolk yellow of the gorse (or whin bush as we called it in Ireland). Then the glorious cherry blossom on trees in gardens we pass hung in pink or white clouds for a week or so before falling like confetti on the pavements.

 Last week it was the lilac, a huge bank of overgrown trees I never noticed before on an otherwise dull street. It's fading already. The scent last week was powerful; now it's all but gone and the pale purple flowers are going dry and brown.

Today is May Day and peak blossom time. The 'may' or hawthorn blossom is out - thick and heavy on the trees and also delicately scented. And, in the park, laburnum trees with luminous yellow drooping blossoms. And the sticky horse chestnut candles, creamy with hints of pink.  Beautiful even on this chilly showery day.

I slept late this morning, later than I ever have done in years, only getting up just before nine.  This was mainly due to being awake for bit at 4 am which isn't that unusual for me though usually I still get up around 7.  I read for a while 'Wolf Hall' my novel of choice for lockdown.  Thought I should tackle something substantial. I'd like to say I'm loving it but it's more admiration than enjoyment. Though parts are very good, there are too many characters to keep track of and my brain wasn't processing it this morning. I got to sleep again just as the birds were starting to sing.

Apart from a load of washing which has been rained on twice but should now be drying in the sun which has appeared, I have done very little today, my day 'off'  after some online teaching this week.  Just enjoyed the blossom on our dog walk and pottered about the house. Kate also helped me cover my grey roots with some 'Nice and Easy' Light Brown.  It looks ok but is really darker than the packet suggests and all my highlights have disappeared.  At least it'll look better for the Zoom quiz we are doing later on this evening. I find it a bit disturbing looking at myself on screen.

I'm updating this as I attempted to write a poem in sonnet form to celebrate the blossom.  It's not great and I'm almost too embarrassed to put it on here but feel that at least I've done something creative. Anyway here it is:

Blossom Time

Days drift by and time is marked in blossom.

Blackthorn flowers pure white and falls like snow.

Daisies litter grass, and dandelion suns

change to dotted spheres. The child says one o’

clock, two o’clock to tell the time right now

and blows in clouds its strange geometry.

Cherries, dressed in bridesmaid shades of pink, line

the city streets, dropping their confetti.

Now spring speeds all in a rush with richness:

Lilac’s scented stars in spears appear and fade

too soon; chestnut buds unfurl in sticky

cream tinged pink; white, heavy boughs of May.

Nature has no clocks, we need not hear their chime

But live life in the present:  blossom time.