How many shades of green?

On these warm, sunlit days I almost find myself thinking 'to experience the world like this, in early summer mode, is worth all the pain of winter'. Well, almost. It's a bit along the lines of that old cliche of how good it feels when you stop banging your head against a wall.

Sometimes, on a Thursday, I allow myself a little leeway, some time to simply be. This is a kind of carry over from South African days, because, traditionally, Thursday was maids' day off. As a housewife and often busier in this direction on the weekends than even in the weeks, I decided I also needed weekly freedom from cooking and cleaning and so forth. With our household reduced, this doesn't feel so vital anymore, but from time to time...

So yesterday I took a long ramble, stopping by at the Mill Pond to eat a banana, and drink some water. I watched the grannies going by with their small charges, people eating picnic lunches, two women taking photos, geese swimming or protecting nests and so on. But mostly I sat and looked at the trees, layers of leaves in different shapes and shades, the new growth lending the air a special kind of shimmer. I can't remember how many different colours of green there are, but I had to marvel at the variation and all the richness of nature. Joy springs.