Flowering Trees and Stuff

The other day I was driving back to the office after my lunch break and I have to admit that I was a little distracted. I was thinking about the tasks I needed to accomplish that afternoon and about the busy schedule we had that evening. I think I was also noticing the chipped nail polish on my left thumbnail, which started me thinking about the sorry state of my toes, but that’s another story.

Suddenly, I looked – really looked – at the road ahead of me. And I was knocked out! Not literally, of course, which is a good thing since I was driving.

But the Flowering Pear trees that line the street were bursting with blooms and it was like fluffy white clouds had descended from the sky and landed on the trees. I was awestruck. I say this, because my eyes snapped open just as my lower jaw unhinged and my mouth opened wide. I probably looked like a fish, so I’m thinking that should qualify as “awestruck.”

Right then I wished I had my camera so I could stop in the middle of the road to take a picture. Thank goodness the camera was safely tucked away at home as I’m sure I would’ve at the very least pissed off the drivers behind me who would’ve had to slam on their brakes to avoid the foolish woman taking pictures of the trees from the middle of the road. The very worst would’ve been if the drivers behind me were also distracted enough not to notice the foolish woman standing in the middle of the road snapping pictures of trees.

Anyway.

I’ve worked in German Village for about eight years now and the beauty of the flowering trees and carefully tended gardens around here never cease to amaze me. But it’s like I have this reaction every single year. Wouldn’t you think I’d be used to it by now? Oh well, I guess I’d rather be amazed at the beauty of God’s creation than to be blasé and all world-weary about it.

Okay, and if I am to be completely honest here, I think I especially like that other people are doing all the gardening work and I just get to enjoy it! I’m not a digging in the dirt kinda person. Just think what it does to a good manicure. Or at least that’s an excuse I can come up with off the top of my head. Yeah, I think I’ll stick with that one.

Sometimes I get cranky about German Village. The cool looking brick-lined streets can be a bumpy ride from hell that tortures the shocks and struts on my car. I cannot tell you how many nails have had to be pulled out of the tires over all these years because the spaces between the bricks are perfect hiding places for sharp, pointy objects. And I sometimes have to say a quick prayer and hope for the best as I attempt to cross a street at which the drivers perpendicular to me do not have a stop sign. It’s way too hard to see oncoming traffic down here. Sometimes I think I even close my eyes a little bit. Probably I shouldn’t admit that.

But even with all of those shortcomings and take-your-life-in-your-hands moments, I do appreciate the beauty of this small community. Just don’t ask me to move down here. Parking is another issue altogether.

I hope you enjoy these spring-filled, flowering trees days. They only come once a year.

Oh, and I brought my camera today. Film at 11.