Beginning

A gentle breeze fills my senses with the scent of fresh sawdust. The roar of machinery and saws is replaced by a gentle rustle of leaves, and the distant hum of traffic. Lunch - chicken curry, a cauliflower vegetable and raita - eaten, I write in the moments of quiet before the tree trimmers return.

Eased of the burden of dense branches, the black walnut trees stand tall, they look trim and elegant, proud custodians of our new home. They are brothers to me, these three trees, we have much to talk about. We share a love for this quiet spot, our oasis.

This is the start of construction. With the blessing of these three trees, and the sanction of the welcoming soil, with heart filled with hope, with my mind at peace, I begin.

This new life, this new beginning. Hail!