Sharing the Afternoon

If you were here right now...

First off, I would offer you a Friday afternoon cocktail.  You see, I have these little cans of cane sugar tonic for my g&t's and they are the perfect size to split.  Then we'd cruise out to the garden, blue glasses clinking, and squeeze every single sugar snap pea.  I'd offer you one of the first golden "sweet 100s" cherry tomatos and we'd comb the blueberries bushes (unsuccessfully I might add, as I raided them heavily this morning but I wouldn't want to crush your spirit, so I'd let you look.  I know how you feel about blueberries).

We'd come back into the cool of the kitchen and I'd put this album on the speakers, turned up loud.  I'd tell you about my run with the dogs this morning, out behind the quarry, where yellow was the color of the day.  Goldfinch, Tanagers, western tiger swallowtail butterflies, and huge puffy blooms of a wildflower I don't know.  

By this time Freyja would have licked your hand clean and Sancho would have smeared some nasty jowlie slobber across your knees (but I know you and I know you'd forgive him because he's so flipping adorable).

I'd drag you upstairs into the studio, dislodge a kitty boy and plop down in my ratty old chair.  I'd show you the big painting, the one with the barn own, the one I think might be titled "homage" and we'd both look thoughtfully at it, still crunching the last of the peas.  I'd show you my new favorite paint color, unapologetically crusted around the edges of my nails and if you were game, I'd make you finger paint right along side me.

We'd listen to birdsong and laugh at the doves who occasionally sit on the studio window ledges and peer in with their tiny heads.  I'd show you my collection of blue feathers, every one a lucky day, and have you try on the rings and necklaces in varying stages of doneness on the bench.  We'd talk about the future and how on earth do we keep ourselves in the present when change looms ahead.

Later I'd offer you a sweater and we'd drive out to a high cliff, one I just discovered, that juts out above the ocean.  From there we could look down on the birds, cross our fingers for a colorful sunset and sit in silence because there is nothing more beautiful than sharing silent awe with a friend.

Salut my friends!

~ Umber ~