I am pretty blessed. The matron of the yard is the biggest sugar maple I have ever seen. I have chosen to call her Bea. (This of course would be in honor of Bea Arthur of the Golden Girls, a lady and show I hold dear.) Bea has pins holding her multiple trunks together so the limbs don't fail and I believe she has a hose that may have once been used to tap sugar. Her canopy stretches across half of the back yard. She's quite impressive.
I am now a resident of Ashfield, Massachusetts. I have a downstairs apartment which is just the basement of a home referred to as a "cape" style. The back yard feels like my own private oasis when the owner's family isn't here. It's peaceful. Ashfield is a rural community that is mostly farms. Most of western Massachusetts consists of long winding roads dotted with farms, small towns and homes with stands on the front lawn selling harvested vegetables. It's lovely. It's a bit humid but completely tolerable which makes for a nice comfortable feeling to lounge in. At the moment, it's great to be able to take advantage of all the local produce at the mini stands or at farmers' markets as they are just lovely.
I am here to go to the Conway School of Landscape Design which is 20 minutes away. School starts tomorrow so I thought I would take stock and prepare for what is ahead. Today my girlfriend of 7 years returned back to Seattle after moving me over and helping me get settled. This is devastating. At the moment, it's hard as I think of being alone this year and not having my girl Fynn as well. The amount of changes that have occurred within the past couple of months, the amount of trials has just been unbelievable but I have come out on the other side. And at the moment, I have the rare luxury of enjoying the summer warmth while not having anything to do besides put bug spray on and read an assigned book that should be done by now (oops). It's beautiful, peaceful, and difficult all at the same time. But how could we not appreciate that beauty if we didn't have the struggle? So tomorrow starts a new chapter officially, as I move forward in achieving my dreams. Scary, depressing and exciting all at the same time.
<breathe>
Ok, I just sent you a comment but forgot to log in and it disappeared ... and now I can't remember what I said. Just ... good to hear from you, so sorry your heart is sore, and trust that the time ahead will be blessed. Bea is beautiful! I really do hope to meet her.
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