In my childhood memories, when my grandpop visits, it is always a golden-glowing, long spring day with an azure sky dotted with drifting marshmallow clouds. When I am perhaps four or five, he takes me and my younger sister on a walk through a wooded area in Philadelphia. We stop to eat a snack. My grandpop shows us how to rinse our hands in a spring that flows between some rocks and rub them together until they dry. It does not take long on this pleasant day, but I think it is an amazing trick to dry our hands this way. Suddenly, three horses with riders materialize on the trail and gallop past us. The horses are huge—or so they seem to me–and it happens so quickly that it is almost like a dream, a magical moment in the woods. The magic of the woods stays. All these years later, my grandpop, the horses, and the wondrous spring live on, a warm spot in my heart.
light lingers, pauses
capturing spring memories—
nimbus of white blooms
Henry Ward Ranger, “Spring Woods,” [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons
I am taking care of three prompts with this Haibun:
The prompt for Day 17 of NaPoWriMo is to write about a family anecdote. This is simply a memory I have, but close enough.
Victoria, who is retiring from hosting duty for dVerse asks us to write about lingering day for Haibun Monday.
And Frank’s Haikai Challenge, asks us to use the prompt warm.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Vividly drawn images. Great use of details!
Thanks so much, Jilly. It’s something I hadn’t thought of in a long time. Yay for poetry prompts/ 🙂
Beautiful memory of your grandfather and the magic of the woods that stays.
Thank you very much, Frank!
I wonder if those horses were blue.
I can’t really remember, but I was thinking they probably were. 🙂
Very likely 🙂
🙂
Reblogged this on Frank J. Tassone and commented:
#Haiku Happenings #6: Merril’s latest #haibun for #NaPoWriMo2018, #dversepoets and my own current #haikai challenge!
Thank you, Frank!
Wonderful images … and your setting of the stage in the paragraph made it even better. … and cheers to meeting 3 challenges in one!
Thanks so much, Frank!
Such a special moment for you to share with us. I had a grandpa like that who is etched in my memory and with him, magical moments. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Victoria.
What a beautiful magical memory. I bet your grandpop had hoped for that. Now that we have grandchildren, we hope to make such memories too.
Thank you, Pam. I don’t think my grandfather thought it terms of magic and happy memories. He was a practical immigrant. But I think he did enjoy simply having fun with us in a way he wasn’t able to with his children as they were growing up.
True. It’s all in the perspective. But you and I know – he had joy and magic in his soul.
🙂
Love how you tied the memory to the use of such vivid colors.
Thank you, Björn. Technicolor memories. 🙂
Wonderful memories. The ‘it is always’ is so typical of a lovely one that may in fact have only happened once
Thank you, Derrick.
I was trying to sort out in my mind when this particular outing occurred, but I realized that most likely when my grandfather visited us when we lived in different cities, it was probably in spring or summer–though of course, the weather could not always have been beautiful. 😉
🙂
What a wonderful and magical memory! And the horses have stayed, and mingled with your grandfather’s visit. It has become mythical. (K)
Oh, you are right, Kerfe. Thank you!
What a pleasant memory, and I can see it returning just by watching clouds.
Thank you, Ken.
Now that’s a gentle beauty
Awww–thank you. 🙂
Simply lovely. Great use of imagery.
Thank you so much! 🙂
I read the whole piece, but what remains is those “marshmallow clouds.” 🙂
🙂
Like others, great images here – the details (like the washing your hands in a spring – the kind of knowledge grandfathers have) brings such clarity to this memory. Whether it ‘actually’ happened is not what the heart remembers is it? Terrific stuff.
Thank you for your kind and perceptive comment. You are so right that what the heart remembers is not necessarily what actually happened, but not less real. Thank you.
What a lovely memory. I must try that hand drying technique. That was different. Sounds like a fun day😊.
Pat
Thank you, Pat.
It is certainly a happy memory. I have no idea what else happened that day. 🙂
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Merril, your dear memories of your loving and thoughtful grandpa were like a short story, all wrapped up with a ribbon of white blooms. I loved your choice of “nimbus.” 💮
Such a pretty painting you chose to add to your pretty words you “painted.”
Thank you very much, Robin! 🙂
I’m glad you had park walks and a lighter side of your grandpop. 💕