Springtime
Today was sunny and warm, and makes it seem like spring is just around the corner. In light of that, I felt like writing a decidedly springy story.
Think I should write more?
The tree branches rustled gently overhead, sending a shower of pale pink petal floating slowly to the ground, to rest among the new grass and flowers. The air was fragrant with the smell of woodland flowers and the earthy aroma of spring. Birds sang overhead, as they busily built their nests. A brook wound its way among the trees, its waters gurgling delightfully over the rocks. Ferns bobbed and swayed along its banks, dew drops still on their fronds. Trilliums, violets and daisies turned their fresh petals to the soft blue sky as they seemed to soak in the warmth.
A little way down the brook, a quaint old covered bridge spanned it, as here the brook was wider, with shimmering pools hushing the sound of the water, as the brook flowed lazily along.
The covered bridge had been red once, decades ago. Now it was mostly grey and weathered, with small sections of red paint still clinging to its boards here and there. The floorboards of it were strong still, but warped with age. The road that it connected was paved, but it was so old that it would have been far smoother a ride had it not been. Potholes adorned the pavement like spots on a ladybug, some of them deep and filled with water. Branches of blooming dogwood and other trees hung low over the road, and the grass and flowers were ever encroaching on the pavement as it crumbled away, year by year.
A family of wild ducks waddled across the road and down to the brook, to go paddling away through the clear waters. Their contented mother spoke in soft quacks to her ducklings and they let themselves drift with the current. A deer with her fawn appeared on the banks, and drank gracefully. They then turned away to nibble at the tended shoots nearby, as they made their way back into the forest.
Long slanting beams of morning sunlight shone through the branches making pools of golden sunshine over the forest floor. The dewdrops sparkled like diamonds, as they hung from the tips of branches, or nestled in the crook of a leaf.
A rabbit, its nose twitching nervously, hopped quickly across the road. Not sooner had it disappeared into the tall grass on the other side of the road, than a car came driving along, bumping convulsively over the potholes. The car was going alarmingly fast for this road, but as it approached the covered bridge, it slowed some.
The boards on the bridge rattled nosily, as if they might snap from the weight of the car. The sound echoed throughout the still forest, alarming the birds. They stopped their songs to flutter to the treetops in fright, and did not start singing again until the noise had died away.
The car bumped and jolted on down the road, and peace was again restored.
The driver of the car wore a frown as the held the wheel firmly in her grasp. She looked straight ahead, not noticing the lovely spring forest that she was surrounded with. She had left the small town of Fern about 10 minutes ago, and had been rattling over this horrible road ever since. She hoped she was close to her destination. She couldn’t stand much more of this.
Then, there it was. A tall, imposing wrought iron gate, blocking an almost non-existent driveway. Grass grew down the middle of it, along the sides of it, and bushes crowded in on it, making it seem like more of a footpath than a driveway. Low hanging tree branches created a canopy over it. It was a tunnel of green, winding out of sight around a bend.
She got out and placed her hands on her hips. She glared at the gate, and at the driveway beyond it. Taking a key from her jacket pocket, she unlocked the rusty padlock that held the gate shut. With much pushing and shoving, the gate finally swung open, squealing laboriously all the way.
Satisfied that she had enough room to get her car through, she got back in and started down the driveway. Branches slapped at the car ad it passed by, leaves getting stuck where ever they could. The bushes were crushed beneath the tires, making the going difficult and slow. But she advanced determinedly down the driveway. The driveway went over a brook, and she wondered if it was the same one she’d crossed earlier. Now, the ground rose up to her left, and sloped downward to her right, as the terrain became more mountainous. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the driveway leveled out, and the brushes gave way to rolling woodland, where grass and flowers grew thickly among the trees. She was able to go faster here, but was again slowed down when the bushes and trees closed in around the driveway once more. In another minute, the bushes gave way, offering her a clear view of what lay before her. She had crested a hill, and now could see all of the small, secluded valley.
Even in her bad temper, she had to admit to herself that the view was something spectacular. The valley was narrow, with a river running down it, to pool into a lake at the base of the rolling mountains. Most of the valley was forested, but there were areas of lush grass, dotted by a tree or two. However, her attention was not drawn to the scenery, but instead to what lay near the shores of the lake.
It was where the driveway led. A beautiful old house, abandoned and run down, sat amidst overgrown gardens. Some distance away, there was a stable, and the remnants of what had been fenced pasture. An orchard occupied a sloping hill near the house, and there was a small shed nearby.
She looked down at her watch. It had taken her a full 10 minutes to drive down the driveway, and she wasn’t even to the house yet. But, she had been going rather slowly. She started her car again and descended into the valley.
Think I should write more?
The tree branches rustled gently overhead, sending a shower of pale pink petal floating slowly to the ground, to rest among the new grass and flowers. The air was fragrant with the smell of woodland flowers and the earthy aroma of spring. Birds sang overhead, as they busily built their nests. A brook wound its way among the trees, its waters gurgling delightfully over the rocks. Ferns bobbed and swayed along its banks, dew drops still on their fronds. Trilliums, violets and daisies turned their fresh petals to the soft blue sky as they seemed to soak in the warmth.
A little way down the brook, a quaint old covered bridge spanned it, as here the brook was wider, with shimmering pools hushing the sound of the water, as the brook flowed lazily along.
The covered bridge had been red once, decades ago. Now it was mostly grey and weathered, with small sections of red paint still clinging to its boards here and there. The floorboards of it were strong still, but warped with age. The road that it connected was paved, but it was so old that it would have been far smoother a ride had it not been. Potholes adorned the pavement like spots on a ladybug, some of them deep and filled with water. Branches of blooming dogwood and other trees hung low over the road, and the grass and flowers were ever encroaching on the pavement as it crumbled away, year by year.
A family of wild ducks waddled across the road and down to the brook, to go paddling away through the clear waters. Their contented mother spoke in soft quacks to her ducklings and they let themselves drift with the current. A deer with her fawn appeared on the banks, and drank gracefully. They then turned away to nibble at the tended shoots nearby, as they made their way back into the forest.
Long slanting beams of morning sunlight shone through the branches making pools of golden sunshine over the forest floor. The dewdrops sparkled like diamonds, as they hung from the tips of branches, or nestled in the crook of a leaf.
A rabbit, its nose twitching nervously, hopped quickly across the road. Not sooner had it disappeared into the tall grass on the other side of the road, than a car came driving along, bumping convulsively over the potholes. The car was going alarmingly fast for this road, but as it approached the covered bridge, it slowed some.
The boards on the bridge rattled nosily, as if they might snap from the weight of the car. The sound echoed throughout the still forest, alarming the birds. They stopped their songs to flutter to the treetops in fright, and did not start singing again until the noise had died away.
The car bumped and jolted on down the road, and peace was again restored.
The driver of the car wore a frown as the held the wheel firmly in her grasp. She looked straight ahead, not noticing the lovely spring forest that she was surrounded with. She had left the small town of Fern about 10 minutes ago, and had been rattling over this horrible road ever since. She hoped she was close to her destination. She couldn’t stand much more of this.
Then, there it was. A tall, imposing wrought iron gate, blocking an almost non-existent driveway. Grass grew down the middle of it, along the sides of it, and bushes crowded in on it, making it seem like more of a footpath than a driveway. Low hanging tree branches created a canopy over it. It was a tunnel of green, winding out of sight around a bend.
She got out and placed her hands on her hips. She glared at the gate, and at the driveway beyond it. Taking a key from her jacket pocket, she unlocked the rusty padlock that held the gate shut. With much pushing and shoving, the gate finally swung open, squealing laboriously all the way.
Satisfied that she had enough room to get her car through, she got back in and started down the driveway. Branches slapped at the car ad it passed by, leaves getting stuck where ever they could. The bushes were crushed beneath the tires, making the going difficult and slow. But she advanced determinedly down the driveway. The driveway went over a brook, and she wondered if it was the same one she’d crossed earlier. Now, the ground rose up to her left, and sloped downward to her right, as the terrain became more mountainous. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the driveway leveled out, and the brushes gave way to rolling woodland, where grass and flowers grew thickly among the trees. She was able to go faster here, but was again slowed down when the bushes and trees closed in around the driveway once more. In another minute, the bushes gave way, offering her a clear view of what lay before her. She had crested a hill, and now could see all of the small, secluded valley.
Even in her bad temper, she had to admit to herself that the view was something spectacular. The valley was narrow, with a river running down it, to pool into a lake at the base of the rolling mountains. Most of the valley was forested, but there were areas of lush grass, dotted by a tree or two. However, her attention was not drawn to the scenery, but instead to what lay near the shores of the lake.
It was where the driveway led. A beautiful old house, abandoned and run down, sat amidst overgrown gardens. Some distance away, there was a stable, and the remnants of what had been fenced pasture. An orchard occupied a sloping hill near the house, and there was a small shed nearby.
She looked down at her watch. It had taken her a full 10 minutes to drive down the driveway, and she wasn’t even to the house yet. But, she had been going rather slowly. She started her car again and descended into the valley.
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