A Table for One
Monday morning reflection
Loveliest of trees, the cherry now
Is hung with bloom along the bough,
And stands about the woodland ride
Wearing white for Eastertide.
— A. E. Housman, A Shropshire Lad (1896)
It is Monday morning. I am sitting quietly in my dining room, having a coffee. Warm candlelight lifts the rainy morrow, highlighted by the subtle scent of hyacinths. Like Adaline Bowman, I have wandered long enough to know where the coffee is better.
Outside, the cherry tree is blooming. I only have it for a few days every year, but every year it takes my breath away. I love the look of baby leaves waking up, renewing themselves. They give me hope for the future.
This kind of rainy morning makes me want to dig into my reading. Alas, it is a work morning, so reading will be professional. A French china cabinet is getting delivered today. A good day to cozy up at home and contemplate.
Tomorrow I leave for Miami — another whirlwind work trip, last one this quarter. Today is the quiet before the storm.
The cherry tree outside does not know about Miami. It is only blooming, in the light drizzle, for as long as it has.
