I am pleased—nay, relieved—to announce that paradise has arrived chez nous.
Paradise, according to my standards, that is.
Your idea of paradise might be very different from mine. Yours might not include early morning walks, with long shadows and stunning green.
Maybe you don’t care for birds singing and roosters crowing, and woodpeckers pecking. Maybe the sight of old cats finding their inner kitten and frolicking in the sun fails to impress.
Maybe you’re bored with flowers blooming and grass greening, and the sound of lawns being mowed. Maybe the uncurling, unfurling, of tender hosta leaves doesn’t move you.
A lake free of ice and full of sparkles, with boats venturing out in spite of the water temperature being a mere 40 degrees F (that’s about 4 C)—maybe that doesn’t spell paradise to you.
The signs of spring and the hints of summer abound. The promises of things to come are all around.
My paradise isn’t a static place—paradise doesn’t stand still. It whispers and suggests and promises that even more and even better is . . . soon.
Peonies, Solomon seal, lilies of the valley . . . they will come.
Old chairs on new grass, and the good old, same old sun. Kayaks in the water, bikes on the road, hot dogs on the grill. Music and song at the campfire.
And two of our favorite people will arrive from their Florida home and take up residence just down the road.
My paradise is . . . well, paradise! I hope you have your own, whatever it looks like.
Love Those "Hands at Home" 
Your paradise is lovely! I always say to myself I like this season best or that season best but really there is something magical about all these transition times between one solid season and another when everything seems brand new but also feels very nostalgic and familiar. Cheers to the green under your feet and the flowers in your eyes!
I like the transition times best, for sure–the move into spring and autumn just get to me in ways that winter and summer can’t!
I totally know what you mean:)
Kerry, what a lovely post this is! Living in the north you TRULY appreciate spring, and it does feel like paradise when the trees finally leaf out and the sun is warm. Your lilacs are such a deep purple, and I haven’t seen trilliums in years…thanks for a peek into you spring! We are going to weather our last cold snap this week. The low on FRiday may reach 36, but then we should be done with that until fall.
I keep seeing threats of snow in your region? That just seems impossible! We do appreciate good weather when it comes, though, don’t we? I love the trilliums so much–even as a little kid I was drawn to them but they’re protected so we were never allowed to touch them!
I remember trilliums in Northern Minnesota and pink lady slippers. Both were in my uncle’s woods. We would stand in awe looking at them! Our snow threat has been reduced to Friday morning from 4-6 am now, instead of into Saturday night. They are still calling for a low of 35, so we are hoping to sneak through!
Your pictures depict my idea of paradise too. Enjoy.
It’s not the location, is it? It’s that sense of life emerging again after winter–all the green and other colors!
It looks as though we are sharing similar thoughts this week. Joy is ours at the moment when we have wisteria, lilac, blossom, young leaves to relish.
Absolutely, Margaret! We’ve been working so hard outside and I’m sore–but it’s such a good sore!
This is my favorite time of the year, as you know. And early morning is my favorite time of day. We are now out of drought conditions…not even abnormally dry conditions. All is lush and growing like crazy. Love it. Now if I only had Lake Champlain out my back door!
If you had Lake Champlain at your door, you would’ve had some nervous moments! We did, as all that rain lifted the lake levels. It’s stabilized now and looks fresh and wonderful.
I love the arrival of spring when everything is fresh and green, beautifully written.
Thanks! The green is what gets to me, or all the different greens, I should say. Amazing!
One other component of paradise – the smell of green growth, to say nothing of lilacs.
mmm, it smells so good this time of year. And May smells different from June. Though I love the sweetly scented air of May, June mornings are the best.
The smells are amazing and varied, since we live in dairy farming country!
Mmmmmnn! Cows!! 😉
I really can’t imagine anyone reading your blog regularly who fits the person you are talking to – who does not love spring time? I remember when I first went to Europe for a conference one Easter time, becoming so aware of how the seasons move like a lemniscate with spring and autumn as the crossing point. They are the seasons of movement, of becoming, of change (while the solstices sit at the apexes of the loops) Blogging allows me to glory in this recognition again and again. I know as human beings we are so often uncomfortable with change – but the seasons show us constantly that everything passes, that renewal always follows decay and hope springs eternal 🙂 Isn’t it just wonderful!!
I learned a new word from you! I knew the shape but not what it was called! Your use of it to describe autumn and spring is perfect! It is all wonderful, indeed!
I learned a new word, too. Pauline, your comment is as poetic as Kerry’s post. I’m enjoying myself.
If there were a paradise like yours around my corner, I’d be more than happy to get my butt out of bed in the mornings and take a walk before work!
Oh, you’d be surprised at the excuses I can come up with not to get my butt out and take a walk! 😉
My paradise is located not so far from yours (as you know.) Today it was nice enough to open windows and pleasant to wander the yard and see what is blooming. Hooray!
I love wandering around to see what’s changed in the garden! It’s been SO warm these couple of days . . . but I hear a change is coming.
Lilacs!!! There are lots of smelly flowers that grow here, but it’s too warm for lilacs. And other people have success with lilies of the valley, but mine never grow. Two of my favorite spring flowers! This Spring has been cooler than the others and ruined a lot of blooming things, but it’s Summer now, I think. 88 degrees, but not humid yet. I am going to go check to see if we have enough English peas for dinner….
Lovely pictures! What program do you use to make collage photos?
It was actually 90 here yesterday! SO weird–but it’ll be back to 60 as a high tomorrow. I can’t keep my lilies of the valley contained–they have jumped the garden wall and are growing in the lawn! The collage comes right from WordPress. When i click to add a photo, I get my photo library. If I select multiple photos and click continue, I go to a page where I can select a layout and choose “tiled mosaic.” Let me know if that doesn’t make sense.
I ‘really’ like the view from your paradise better than mine. 🙂
No! There’s no paradise like one’s own! Your view is different but it’s yours. And ours have its downsides . . . think flooding.
Yes, that is indeed a paradise! It’s just beautiful! We are almost there. Today is our last day of rain. Probably for a very long time. So I’ve been relishing it. Things are blooming here too. I sat on my hill last week and appreciated the wonder of the trees and the green growing around me. We have more green all winter than many places but the monotony of constant rain and cold has left us all longing for a bit of dry weather. We have deep mold growing here. 🙂 Enjoy to the fullest.
Did you get your dry weather and sunshine? I hope so–it’s amazing to me what a difference even a couple days of bright sun can do for my mood!
I see something yellow in the sky that I assume is the sun. We are going from the upper 50’s to the 90’s this week! Did Mother Nature not get the memo about balance? 🙂 Feeling much brighter this morning too. Have a wonderfilled day and weekend too.
Was great seeing your spring flowers,only I wished you had a scratch and sniff on the lilac…would be delightful to smell them again!
I agree about the lilacs’ smell–it’s gorgeous and brings back all kinds of good memories. I bet it’s only a matter of time before computers do offer a fragrance component!
Paradise, indeed
And you have yours, as I can see every time you post!
Thanks very much, Kerry
Weather to live for. The shortness of the season makes it even more precious.
Too true! Winter and summer last forever, it seems, autumn has a good run, but spring seems so short!
I’ll take your paradise any time. Exquisite.
And you are experiencing autumn–which, when it comes here, will be my favorite season. But right now, I choose spring!
Wise choice!
Yes. Yes. Yes. Magical days. We have reached paradise here in Maine, too. I said to my husband last evening that if someone offered at that moment to whisk me to any exotic place in the world, I would refuse. Right now, there is nowhere I would rather be. Soak up and savor every bit of that beauty!
Exactly! Someone asked me the other day if we were traveling anywhere this summer and I was kind of shocked! Why would I leave here during the summer?! You enjoy every minute, too . . .
Paradise is right! You live in a place of beauty. And as Brenda noted. we have our own little slice of paradise in Maine, too. Ah, spring!
I don’t think I’ve been to Maine in springtime but I think it’s paradise in autumn! I know you’re soaking it all in right now, too!
We sure are! But autumn—or late summer—really is the time to come to Maine.
It sounds wonderful, and the photos are beautiful! There’s just something special about early morning walks . . .
I love early morning walks . . . and just wish I would take more of them. Once I get out the door, I love it, but I can find it hard to get started . . .
Yes, lovely days these are. Appreciating the outdoors, especially, helps make all the other drama more manageable. Thanks for the post.
Oh, my, but all that other drama is so relentless and . . . dramatic! I have turned into an internet news junkie. But maybe the worm has turned . . .
So relentless. I’m working on segmenting my time so I walk AWAY from the computer. Also at night I’m pretty good at shutting off the drama and reading other, calmer things before sleep. The worm may have turned, but life will never be the same. It’s a new world, and we’ll have new challenges, regardless.
lovely! it is indeed paradise. Our paradise isn’t; quite here yet, thought the birds have arrived. 🙂 And it is going to be quite warm for a couple of days before the next cold front moves in. Small steps.
It was something like 90 here yesterday! Today will be warm, too, then tomorrow the high will be 60. Ah, life in the Northeast! I hope you got your warmth.
Yes, today we will be in the high 80’s! Perhaps 90 away from the coast. Tomorrow cold again. it’s bizarre. Yesterday was perfect, it was in the 70’s, sunny, but with howling winds as the fronts all moved about. It was really nice out! That was it for the summer, right? 🙂
Serenity.
Absolutely!
such beautiful words, enjoy your paradise, it sounds perfect.
Thanks, Jean. This spot is perfect for us, for sure.
A paean to spring beauty indeed, Kerry! At last we have had some warmth and some much needed rain so all is lovely here too.
Thanks, Clare–spring just takes us over, doesn’t it?!
🙂
Kerry, what a scrumptious piece of writing. I don’t know if your local paper accepts editorials, but I’ll bet everyone in your community would enjoy this as much as I have. I love seeing the path covered in snow, then giving way to the lush green of spring. Your place under the stars is really something and your love and appreciation for it shine through. Thank you for sharing your stunning photos to go with your narrative. Paradise indeed.
Thanks, Alys–you’re always so generous and supportive! Blogging has encouraged me to appreciate my own part of the world more–as I articulate how I feel, I think about all there is to love here!
Thank you, Kerry. You know I think the same thing. Reading blogs from around the world opens your eyes to your own surroundings. It’s quite extraordinary.
Lovely writing. Thanks for sharing your personal paradise.
I feel the same about my part of the World and always have trouble deciding where to go on holiday as I resent paying lots of money to stay somewhere that isn’t as nice as home. We are very fortunate 🙂
Yes! A friend asked me if we were going to travel anywhere this summer–and I was just shocked at the idea of leaving this place when it’s at its most perfect!
Mornings are my best time for thought… quiet, cool(er), To-Do-List not yet in effect… Though our valley’s had frost twice this week, our position on the mountain did not. We declare this weekend tomato and pepper safe planting time… Once planted, it will be officially “weeding season” until July.
Oscar
This was the weekend when we felt really comfortable planting, too, even though there are areas in the higher elevations where frost is still occurring. We do flowers only but they need weeding, too!
Your paradise sounds a lot like mine Kerry (and now I have Meatloaf singing in my head!)
Oh, good! I didn’t know if anyone picked up that Meatloaf reference!
It’s a great song 🙂
What a picturesque locale! The path through the woods pulls me towards it. I love to take early morning walks. It’s so peaceful at that time of the day, and I can really enjoy nature.
I agree, Sheryl! And that path leads to a private summer cottage so I’ve never walked down it . . . but it intrigues me very much!
You have described, and shown us, many of the delights of summer. Happiness!
Is the road you have shown in your first two images on your property OR near your home?
That dirt road is a long driveway to a summer cottage down the road from our house. I’ve never quite dared to walk down to see what’s at the end and I can’t figure out which house it is when I see it from a kayak on the lake. Maybe it’s better not to know and just keep the idea that the path leads to a perfect summer!
Your paradise is lovely! Waw!!! I love it!
What a beautiful place you live in, Kerry! I especially love the scenes out over the lake.
We both have beautiful spots to live, even though the two locations are very different! I do find the lake endlessly interesting in its constant changing.
Gorgeous writing and photography. Life is good. 🙂
Thanks, Joyce! Yes, life is good and, if it would stop raining, it would be even better!
Lovely post and so beautiful photos. I loved the idea to show winter / summer photos from the same place. Your paradise is beautiful Thank You for this post.
Happy weekend!
Our paradise is beautiful in all seasons . . . but I think I like summer a little better than winter! 😉