after the loving
we rake wet dead leaves
from the garden
where new life is springing
a small black snake stops and sneers

Finally, a real spring day! We woke to the birds singing, then shared love and coffee and musings about the weather, world affairs and the indignant bride-to-be and her mom in the salon yesterday for a trial raking me over with price issues (even after I had gone over all our prices at booking). Funny, how this is the first spring without one of my children in the house and David all to myself. And even though I've been in desperate mourning this past month over my last daughter's leaving, I must admit to a certain liberation in having my man all to myself. And it occurs to me, I have never lived, in my entire life, alone with a man in a romantic relationship without a child in my house! Such a new experience! Not being married, it is almost as if we are young again and just starting out! Ah, almost naughty! And that is what the snake in the garden reminded me of--the earth waking around us, a whole new world awaiting me at 46 and a feeling of excitement and youthfulness--the Garden of Eden! And even though I miss my babies, I wouldn't trade this place I'm at for anything in the world--not even the evil little beady-eyed serpeant lurking in my garden.