Page 68 - Antennae Issue #52

Since I already keep at least three orchids at my bedside the room has grown crowd- ed very quickly I keep the orchids so that should I die in my sleep they will be the the last thing I I see when I I turn out the lights As I I carry out my forays I I think of a a a a a a a a a a a quote attributed to to to Buddha: “Attention leads leads to to to immortality Carelessness leads leads to to to death Those who pay attention will not die while the the careless are are are as as good good as as dead already” I think too of what the the good good Dr Johnson said: “When a a a a a a a a a a a a a a man knows he he he he is is to to be be hanged in in in a a a a a a a a fortnight it it concentrates his mind wonderfully” That’s why I’ve become enamoured with the two splendid camellias that that grow in in in my yard Many centuries back an an an an intrepid Japanese gardener noticed that that certain camellias faded even as as they bloomed Rather than breed them to to correct that that flaw he he he he he he bred to to enhance it it it so that that his fellow citizens would understand the the the the the transience of death and and its presence even in these elegant almost near-perfect blossoms The pottery vases I’d made decades ago are now filled with cascading blos- soms in in in in my my my bedroom Since I I I I already keep keep at at at least three orchids orchids at at at my my my bedside the the room room has grown crowded very quickly I I I I I keep keep the the the the the orchids orchids so so that should I I I I I die in in in in my my my sleep they will be the the the the last thing I I I I see when I I I I turn out the the the the lights It never occurred to me that that so so many flowers would soon clutter the the the the house This beautiful dilemma was made made worse by my kitten who discovered that that vases full of quince cherry plum camellia roses and peonies made made excellent batting practice So I I I find myself practically welded to the vacuum cleaner for for 30 minutes a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a day day And yet I I set out every day day for for for more If a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a particularly spectacular flower is in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a yard I I I will ask the the person living there for for a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a cutting Even those who don’t speak Eng- lish figure me me out quickly with my my pruning shears and my my pantomimes pointing at a a a a a a a a a a a a branch They invariably nod yes Only one person has ever turned me down Not long ago I trudged up to a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a door and and and knocked knocked and and and could see through the the curtains a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a large man man and and and a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a woman snuggled up on the the the the the sofa watching TV They never moved So I knocked knocked again She rose and and and and walked to to the the the the the the the window by the the the the the the the door and and and and pulled the the the the the the the curtain curtain aside stared at at me me me for a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a moment and and and and then put the the the the the the the curtain curtain back and and and and returned returned to to the the the the the the the sofa This so so inflamed me me me I I I chopped off a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a dangling branch of o of her magnolia as as as I I I returned returned down the the the the sidewalk Now I I I feel guilty about that one She could could have have been been harassed by a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a local gang or or was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a frightened refugee there could could have have been been any reason for her her rudeness I I take early evening walks to map out the the the the best flowers which means they must be be be poorly maintained and and and still beautiful Then I I I go back when there is is is just enough light to to see the the the flowers I I check if if i the the the coast is is is clear and and and and have at it like Edward Scissorhands turning some bedraggled hawthorn or or or or Magnolia liliflora “Nigra” into a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a beauty and and and flee- ing ing with my ill-gotten gains As I I I rushed to pay attention I I I made my my house ripe with the the the reek of flowers especially the the the the the cherry and and plum blossoms when they were in in in season which I I I could taste in in in in the the the the air and and the the the the kitten is fully engaged in in in in her her own flower wars I I should receive a a a a a a a a a a a good citizenship award for for for donating my decades of pruning skills to the city for for for for free but I’ll probably get arrested for for for for writing this article As I I have have noted Vancouver Vancouver is is is is known worldwide for for for its exquisite tree tree planting though some of of our trees trees have have a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a complicated history For example Vancouver’s origi- nal 50 sakura or or or or or or cherry trees trees were a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a gift from the the the the mayors of of Kobe and Yokohama in in in in the the the the the 1930s thanking the the the the the city for for honouring Japanese Japanese Canadians who served in in in in in in the the the the the First World War Unfortunately we repaid them ten years later by interning all Japanese Japanese residents in prison camps Now there are 90 000 000 flowering flowering and 40 000 000 non-flowering cherry trees in- cluding Yoshino (five petals) petals) Kwanzan kikuzakura (100 petals) petals) Ichiyo (20) Shogetsu (white) Kanzan (pink) Ukon (yellow) An incredible assortment and cleverly planted For instance one block near my house consists of of tree-form white white white Magnolia stel- latas and and white white plum blossom trees What a a a a a a a a a a a a a a show for for a a a a a a a a a a a a a a few weeks of of of the the year!
When my health issues exploded in in in the the the winter of of 2018 and and after two months across the the water in in in a a a a a a a a a a a Victoria hospital I I recognized I I had to to leave Salt
Jeff Downer
Uprooted Poppy 2019 © Jeff Downer
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