Lost post from Feb...

On another note, how has everyone enjoyed the recent season? It must be getting into Autumn if you are in New Zealand? Here it is spring. Today is the day it turned. The cold embrace of winter has retracted for another year as the warmth of spring returns to thaw out toes sat on the door step in that little pocket of morning sun. Hedgehogs sniffing the air. Birds building new houses. The daffodils are out in the garden outside. People walk with a confused air about them, no doubt wondering about the inward happiness they are experiencing. And today it truly fitted as a change of season too.

Awakening to a clear blue sky, I found my breakfast shared with a welcome visitor. The early morning sun joined me in companionable silence. I bid goodbye as work began, casting a brief glance outdoors to capture one last glimpse of warmth to see me through the day. Instead, the glance found me the lone audience to a magical dance. Snowflakes, some drifted lazily to the ground as if trying to prolong their momentary span of existence, whilst others swirled high up in the air to land gently on the roof tops and highest branches of the tress, had come out to enjoy the sun too and were seemed unable to constain their happiness, their sparkling was so bright.

If not for the slightest of chills added to the air and the briefest of blemishes left upon the window panes, it could have been mistaken for a swirl of passing dust. But the sun, gladdened by the sight of so many old friends, returned in all its glory, setting off an orchestra of bird call and opening a sea of colour across the outside lawn. The proud yellow blooming of the daffodils outshone only by the clarity and majesty of the simple blue petals of their neighbouring pansies. Resplendent in their modest form.

Our morning tea break, set to sit in the midst of such happiness was instead interrupted by a volley of rude hail stones, pattering the roof top like a thousand ill timed birds on the march. The wind rose and the birds fell silent as the sky slowly darkened to a soft blue. But the flowers kept hope and eventually, the return of the sun’s rays signaled time for lunch.

Then as the sun set and the sky grew fit for a murder, with the winds whipping the branches off the giant oak tree next door and the sky booming on its new toy drum, a sudden stillness arose. Darkness settled over all until the stars came out, ready to guide home the last of the nights miscreant wanderers.