A series of essays….
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A CROSS-COUNTRY SKIER SKIMS ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE OF THE GOLF COURSE WHILE WALKING HER DOG |
….as seen through my eyes!
By: Jacqueline E Hughes
Even though the sun is brightly shining and the wind has taken a break from blowing the layer of powdered snow from tree crotch and limbs, the lonely golfer of the day before sets aside his bag of clubs for another day. Having played his dimpled, white ball between crystalline patches of snow toward red flags snapping in the winter wind yesterday, today hails a different landscape; one conducive to multiple activities by various humans and animals, both domesticated and wild.
The space just beyond our backyard shimmers under a blue sky; no visible clouds. The pure joy one feels while observing a much loved original painting by one of their favorite artists is felt, at this very moment, within the frame of the French doors of the dining room. Snug and warm inside, outside the door is an entire system of nature, life itself, dancing before me like snippets of poetry blowing in from the north, hovering over the eighth fairway, and captured within the knotty alder framework of our doors.
Springtime is right around the corner and the landscape will be changing on a daily basis. Today, in particular, is a mix of sunshine, shadows, snowscapes, and all of the life and exuberance of every living thing.
Beginning with the wild: city Bambi, accompanied by a super cautious mom, have stopped to feed upon the small green patches of juicy, new grasses being exposed with the help of the late morning sun. We who call the inner city our home, have grown so accustomed to the deer population that it’s difficult to refer to them as ‘wild’ anymore. Our very own landscaping feeds them all year long. We watch hosta, peonie, lilac, rose, tulip, yew, and ivy plants become favored items on their Menu Du Jour.
Domesticated: unleashed dogs of many breeds romp and play as their loving humans exercise them within the wide open spaces of each fairway. Instinctively, they charge ahead of their humans or tag a distance behind looking like children following the melodious notes of the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
As the morning sun shines down on the shimmering overnight accumulation of snow, cross-country skiers skim across the landscape between the door frame while cutting out their own fresh tracks along the eighteenth fairway. The many hills of the golf course provide an ample adrenaline rush for them as they bend knees and crouch low following the contours of the course, their ski poles tucked-in at their sides.
I know that the lonely golfer will return here, soon. And, he will be bringing back with him many more just like himself; golf bags with clubs slung on their backs walking solemnly back and forth, back and forth. There will be four-wheel chariots, golf bags strapped in back with golfers seated under a simple canopy of protection. Multiple golfers pushing, pulling, or remote controlling their club-filled bags over the carefully groomed grass. Like a choreographed religious parade, they will answer the call of build it and they will come!
The wild deer, and brown, black, and red squirrels darting across the landscape, and families walking dogs and toddlers in order to pass the early evening together, will return to the scene. Spring heralds the distinct activities of humans and beasts, alike. Passing into summer and autumn, the constant flow of energy and activity exists between the many mature trees, their leaves giving sporadic respite from the hot sun, as well as physical challenges as golfer’s dimpled balls ricochet off fat trunks and sound like gunshots in the distance.
All too quickly, after the first few snowfalls of late autumn and early winter, the cross-country skiers will return in all of their athletic glory. The cycle will be repeated, completing a full circle. All is agreeable and whole, once again, within the framework of the French doors at the back of our house.
Copyright © 2023 by Jacqueline E Hughes
All rights reserved
