The State Fair
has moved out of town. It means the new school year will be in session
soon. During the end of summer, we see generous amount of colors and
smells throughout the Pacific Northwest. Walking through my residential
neighborhood, many front-yard gardens boast their multi-colored dahlias. Some
heads are down but some are still strong, as if to show their resilience
against their dwindling life expectancy. Surprisingly, each dahlia shares
a different color pattern. I see purple
and white, orange and yellow, orange and white, and pink and white
combinations. Two different colors
complement each other, with just the right balance, not too strong or too weak;
they get along impressively.
Stepping into my friend’s garden, I spot uniquely rounded shapes growing down from different trees. I can hear their nonverbal invitation, “Pick me!” The light green figs are so
round and soft. A little bit hairy, too! As soon as it hits my tongue, though, a sweet rich juice spreads through my mouth. So rich. I pick a fruit from another tree. It’s a different kind of round and it is very hard. Crunch! The sweet juice shoots through my teeth and it is so satisfying. How beautifully different the sweetness that Asian pears create is!
Along the fence, tiny white, bell-like flowers call to me.
That fragrance! Without putting it anything in my mouth, my nose falls in love with this sweetness. In another garden, fully grown lilies show off their gorgeous scent from afar. My senses are overwhelmed. So I take a deep breath.
I know wild blackberries wait for me on the walking trail. Yes, I will be there soon. Summer in our area is the best season of the year. My eyes, nose, and mouth enjoy the heavenly consortium of colors, scents, and sweetness every day. And at night, my ears catch the echo of sounds far from our neighborhood that the wind carries. That is when I feel full of gratitude. I will miss summer leaving us so soon, but I decided to enjoy this moment because I feel happy and peaceful. I take another deep breath.
