Paradise

These gravel roads have not changed for over one hundred years.  As you walk on the road the aroma of fresh cut grass and alfalfa fills your head with sweet memories of summers that are long past.  The only sounds you hear are your own, the sound of your feet walking towards the field and the cleansing sign that sweeps through the air.  The field looks peaceful while a gentle breeze sways the tall grass back and forth.

 Barbed wire is stretched from post to post, repaired in some places, to keep the livestock in and other animals out.  The horses live in the pasture across the river.  Mona, Twe, and Holly Dolly Loma are the lawn ornaments; they are like big dogs that come when they are called.  The wire reaches over the river, which cuts through the bluffs and fields then disappears into an underground cave.  The cave is a part of this paradise; it is right underneath these fields that have been used to grow crops and livestock for decades.When you enter the cave you have to crawl through a small opening but when you reach the other side, it transforms into cathedral ceilings with its past painted on the walls.    Reach the bottom and you will see a small natural pond that has an aqua tint color created from the rocks and cool water.

            As the years went by there was some change, people pasted on to their new spiritual home while others simply moved away but the face of the bluffs is unchanging.  Their beautiful trees bloom every spring and turn in their green pallet for vibrant reds and oranges in the fall.  Winters are magical; the snow builds in this deep valley and makes you feel like you are in a snow globe that is shaken every few days.Time lets nothing seep through its firm cold grip.  No pity or forgiveness is granted to the one who has been loyal.  What was once a paradise for me is showing the signs of change.  The barn is loosing its vibrant red color, the old house has been re-done, and the wooden bridge was replaced by one built with concrete.    As farming came to a stop the sound of slow lowing of cattle disappeared.  The horses were still beautiful to look at but they too became a burden.  The fence post leans every which way with no repair in sight.  The vines that had overcome them restrict barbed wire and they are no longer of any use.

When I arrive on the unchanging gravel road, I look forward to finding traits of my past paradise.  The pastures, the barn and bluffs are still present but the feeling is gone.  My paradise does not exist anymore.  I desperately search for a familiar smell, a familiar feeling but Time has taken that away.  I want to freeze Time, when my paradise was blossoming and be a part of it once again.