The Yellow Brick Road

Damp, bleak, and chilly….Springtime in the Rockies anyone?

After a night of blustery winds and rain that woke up everyone in the house, we’re left with drippy, drab, and gray. It was so noisy around 2:00 a.m., that I finally had to get up to see what all the commotion was. It turned out that the wind was causing a draft, making my daughters bedroom door bang open and shut.  We decided there were no spooky characters lurking on our front porch, (like the American Indian that took refuge from a storm a few years back) and went back to sleep only to wake up this morning to the sound of a steady rain.  We were basking in the sun just a few days ago and today it’s downright freezing.  I just want to curl up under a blanket and drink hot chocolate all day.

The weather has spoiled our picnic (boo, hoo) but not our weekly walk.  I pulled on my fleece jacket and my daughter gladly wrapped her knitted scarf around her neck.  She made it a month earlier and was sure that it would hang useless all summer. I’m not sure why she thought that, considering summer is still a month away and snow is not entirely out of the picture.

We began our walk in silence until I said good morning to a fellow walker.  In passing, we made some small talk about the grungy day but admitted it wasn’t too bad.  My daughter seemed surprised. “Hadn’t I taught her to greet people in passing,” I wondered. Where’s her Southern hospitality? I thought it should run in her veins. Not to mention I think Montanans are some of the most likable folks around.  You know, not fussy, just down to earth.

She went on to tell me a story of how she sometimes passes people who appear to hate the world. I told her that I suspected that these people weren’t present but worrying about the next business meeting or some such thing. At that moment, I decided to practice what I preach and began to focus on the rest of our walk together. Instead of thinking about my schedule for the remainder of the day, I would stop and smell the roses.  Just then, I noticed the sidewalk ahead was blanketed with bright yellow Maple flowers.

“It’s the yellow brick road,” my daughter said in jest.  She sometimes finds amusement in my pleasure of simple things.  “Yes,” I said, then went back home to grab the camera to share this little bit of nature’s wonder with you.

Isn’t it pretty….this canopy of trees over the sidewalk?  Remember, the past is history, the future is a mystery, and the present is a gift.  Unwrap it and enjoy!

The Yellow Brick Road

Another article about my neighborhood you may enjoy:

• A Stop at Willoughby

Peace, Marlene