Blue Christmas

I admit it.

I am glad autumn is almost over. I am glad winter is almost here. That means spring is right around the corner - albeit a long corner - and that means blues. Instead of reds & golds & oranges, which, as gorgeous & breathtaking as they are, I am just not good at. That's why I didn't really know we had such red, red trees here - I am always so busy in the fall & the temperature begins to drop & I just hurry from the inside of the house to my car & I've just not paid any attention until this year. Sad but true. This year, however, I noticed, and was just astounded. I'd only seen the ginkgos in their golden-overnight display - hard to miss - but I'd ignored all the other glorious trees, and only noticed the brown, brown, brown leaves on the ground. Head down against the wind, watching my feet as I scurried to the car. I am a bit ashamed. I apologize to all those trees for all those years of gifts I missed.

But still. I have missed my blues & lilacs & lavenders & hydrangeas & periwinkles & cannot wait for grape hyacinths & paperwhites to begin to bloom. In the meantime there is Christmas & blue lights & aqua bulbs & silver this & that.

There are birds to placed on trees & about the house.

Work begins to wind down & I have time to breathe. To dream. To shop, to buy presents and giftwrap & ribbon, and appreciate the Christmas displays all over town. Last weekend the lovely, lovely Katie and I swooped by a nighttime Christmas festival at Blue Moon Gardens. When Katie stepped onto a path surrounded on all sides by luminarias, she turned to me, smiling, and said, "I'm so happy!"

Yes. Me too.