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"Happiness always looks small when you hold it in your hands, but let it go, and at once you learn how big and precious it is."
Maxim Gorky

Monday, May 30, 2011

lilacs...

Then, all of a sudden, the corner of the garden, which stood bare all winter,
is awash in deep purple... fat blooms of lilac.
 I stand there, dizzy with the view.
Clippers in hand, I fill my basket and bring the beauty into the house...
 The scent is old...sweet...heavy...
...I've always brought lilacs into the house.
Even when I didn't have a yard...living in a top floor apartment in the city...
a few would be stolen at night from neighbouring gardens...
hanging over fences in the alleyways...
...they say the sense of smell is one of the strongest to bring back memories.
...I'm in the backyard of my aunt Molly and Uncle Toms red brick house...
It is late spring in Toronto, Sunday afternoon, and we are visiting for a bbq...
She had a glorious bush of light purple lilacs...the old fashioned ones...
...these are the ones with the most heavenly scent...
...my sister and I pick off tiny flowers and suck the nectar from the ends...
Today is cool and grey here on the coast but the fragrance wafts through the room
and beckons me back to where it's warm and sunny.


5 comments:

the wild magnolia said...

I want to hug these lilacs! It would be a great pleasure to see them in person/plant. :)

Thank you for sharing!

Unknown said...

and my memory is getting married may 30th 1970.huron st in downtown toronto. at the last minute realizing i had no bouquet, so cutting a bunch of lilacs from our little backyard and walking to the chapel at u of t for the ceremony...

gz said...

beautiful. I've always preferred the white ones, I don't know why!

Stone Angel said...

The only nectar sweeter is from honey suckle. How wonderful to be a little girl and suck these delicious treats from our garden. Also, how wonderful that little girls growing up in different countries do the exact same things - don't you love it?

Brenda Stratton said...

I always said my dream home would have lilacs in the garden. Guess I'm there Kerry because my new home has 7 lilac trees! I'm just waiting to see what color they are. Wish I were there. xxxb