Dear beautiful, grey, mild, temperate, and moody Seattle,
Remember when we first met? I was the girl with a ready smile and wave. That is how I arrived. Unaware, talkative and naive, but eager nonetheless.
You wooed me with your water, delicious and sweet.
You freshened me with your breeze, crisp and floral.
Summer came and more gifts you bestowed.
Mountains unveiled and waters blued. Forests came alive, vegetation unearthed.
Elms, Spruce, Cherry trees and Douglas fir cover the land.
Rosemary, daffodils and tulips fed my nose on my daily walks.
Later, dasies, multi-colored roses, and rododendrons colored the land.
Diablo, dahlias, hydrangea and lilies clothed in vibrancy.
As my eyes scanned the flora, my thoughts rose upward to the Creator
Skies of pink, and shimmering gold braiding the most blue skies.
Then came the fall with its rusty hue and chill. It came to stay and chased the sun away. The dark and grey days began and quickly wore out their welcome.
Winter ensued, leaves falling staging the piney greens. Morning dew crystalized leaves and giving runners a smokey breath.
Inside, blankets and books littered the table while cocoa warmed the hands.
The longing for flowers became a constant dream. I can’t wait until they come…are they here yet? Will today’s sun hold any warmth?
Day after bone chilling day and skin’s tan all the way faded, body fattened and hiding in thickened fibers.
But even then, the beauty remained.
On a rare sunny morning, I glimpsed the mountains in all their “Swiss” beauty They waved a hello and longed for a visitor.
When I bared the cold, and shared the crispy paths with others, I filled my lungs with sharp, biting winds which helped clear the past.
In the wind, I heard, “You’re released.”
I smiled with parched lips, but teared up as the season wrapped up, a promise of another spring affirmed.
I stood…gazing again, stopping. Not wanting to turn away, I looked on, imagining the return of a season in Seattle and realizing then that I would miss next years bloom.
I Write 