This, this right here...

I wake around 10. Focus. Stretch it out a bit. Look out the window and put on some water. It’s overcast. Low flying clouds today. Beautiful…really. Decide I’ll make a proper breakfast with fresh eggs, garlic roasted potatoes, some raspberry preserves for the toast. A proper meal in my belly and some dark roast to wash it down with. A fine start. But I need the ingredients first. Toss on the rain jacket, the chaco’s and hit the button for the elevator. A good solid, “DING!”. And down I go. I hit shuffle on my player and ahh! A piece by Bird and Dizzy. Perfect. Standing in the doorway to the apartment complex looking at the mountains. Still a bit fuzzy from the night before, but feeling really good. It’s warming. I can smell the ozone. Suns popping through a bit, baking some of the early morning rain still glistening on the black top. I turn the corner and there it is. I’m blown away. It’s only March 7th. Back in Minneapolis the temps are still in the 20’s. But not here. Not this morning. And this tree, this absolutely beautiful tree. It’s just standing there. A thousand small white star shaped flowers. Some opening. Some large buds. And some completely unfurled. My first. My very first Cherry Blossom. Bird and Dizzy are trading licks. I smile uncontrollably and think, this, this right here, this is happiness.