GREEN!

My last visit to see my fab father in his small Western Pennsylvania town was in April. With the late spring, few of the trees had any leaf action goin’ on. The day was rainy and wan, sporting a sad, aggressively bleak mien.

This time, on a sunny day at mid summer’s peak, much of the dismal decay and belligerent hardness was covered in green, green, GREEN. There are just SO many tall gorgeous trees in this area! The pastoral beauty is utterly intoxicating. Copland's Appalachian Spring comes happily to mind along with Martha Graham's ballet.

Then Jen and I passed a billboard showing a cemetery scene, over which was printed alarming, overwrought deception about the Affordable Care Act. Hello Koch Bros. funded  lies and idiocy! Adult World in its windowless, grey painted, derelict clapboard shed was next, followed by a dozen big box churches — one of which shared it’s warehouse space with the “American Beer” distributor. Convenient, no?

In this sunny season though, the astounding, enveloping, verdant woodlands are utterly seductive. I’m easily distracted from all those Tea Party signs, Republican Indoctrination Centers (AKA christianist megachurches), the endless strip malls dotted with Dollar Stores and Walmarts. Oh look at that beautiful cloud! Wow, that amazing row of forest covered hills is aMAZing! Oh such beauty!

My usual Plant Some Damn Trees, Arborist Avenger-ness was actually quiet!

And then, much too quickly, our visit with Vati was over. Jen and I sped back to the airport for or eight PM flight back home. In Boston, as we made our way to the car, Jen said, “Smell that? Breathe in.” I did. Ocean. The perfume of the Atlantic pierced the airport and parking garage scents.

Home.