(1001) Golden Leaves of Nature

We live in a terraced, double-storey house with a long backyard. Our left-hand neighbour built an extension right up to ten feet before the back boundary. As a result of that, we enjoy the shadow cast by the extension from 12:01pm onwards. By 4pm our entire backyard is in shadow.

Beyond our back boundary is a deep drain. There is an overgrown path that grass cutters and drain-clearers use. Then there is a bluff of perhaps thirty feet. Wild chickens travel down the bluff easily on trails they create daily. On top of the bluff is a strip of land, perhaps 1,000 yards. This land is filled with coconut, mango and other fruit trees. Next to the drain two houses away, we have a thick bamboo grove.

Across the vacant land there is a big house with a few outbuildings. We heard that it is empty and strangers would rent it at $400 a night. Well, at that steep price, it is more often empty.

I grew up in the city. It is here that I realise that poets are right in writing about the sound made by bamboo, coconut and banana trees. These sounds are different, one from another. They are restful and bring peace to our souls.

There are at least two hours from sunrise till the time sunlight finally hits my backyard. In fact the contrast between the green grass in shadow and the leaves of the tall trees on the bluff bathed in early sunlight is exceptionally beautiful. Now I see why light green bathed in early morning sunshine can be described as golden. We live in a beautiful world.