No Regrets

 

My response to dVerse Poets Pub Haibun Monday #10: Hanami

Cherry Blossom

“When cherry blossoms
scatter –
no regrets”

Issa

Sixteen years ago, we were looking for a new home. We didn’t have much money but we did have a two bedroom bungalow to sell, with a cherry tree in the front garden. We were looking for a cottage and, as we hoped it would be our last move, it had to be right one. After looking at several ‘wrong’ cottages, I opened an envelope with details from an estate agent for an old traditional cottage that was just out of our price range. It was in a small village on the Norfolk Broads, needed work and had a vendor who was moving abroad and wanted a quick sale. On the day of the appointment, my husband couldn’t go and I went alone.

I fell in love with the wild garden, the peace and quiet, so I arranged another viewing. We discussed the price and decided to chance our arm by offering a considerably lower sum. Of course, the vendor said no, but something in the estate agent’s reply suggested we might stand a chance with another offer. We made it and then had a long wait. We visited the cottage most Sundays, wandering around to the back garden and looking over the gate longingly at the willow, the plum, quince and apple trees. When we finally got the reply, we were ecstatic.

The exchange didn’t go smoothly and all of our belongings were put in storage while our purchasers moved into the bungalow and we went on a planned break to Cologne for a week. On the morning we returned, the estate agent confirmed that the sale was complete and we could collect the keys. That was in October. The cottage was cold, damp and mouldy. It smelled musty, the garden was overgrown and there was much work to do. By the following spring we were settling in and the cottage was becoming more habitable. There were daffodils and tulips in the garden, the trees were budding. And then, to our delight, a small cherry tree, hiding round the side of the house, blossomed and we knew we would be happy. We are still living in the cottage and, at the moment, I am waiting for the cherry to blossom.

In the right garden

cherry tree blossoms each year

banishing regret

© Kim M. Russell, 2016

24 thoughts on “No Regrets”

  6. I know how tedious that moving in can be & I am happy to read that all finally went well ~ I love the garden blooming again, and with the cherry tree set to bud again, I am sure all regrets will be banished ~ Thanks for sharing your lovely story Kim ~ Have a good week ~

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  7. Somehow, I feel that tree bloomed again just for you, to let you know it was happy you held out and came home to that place. This is truly an honoring of the cherry tree, it’s beauty, its spirit. A wonderful confirmation of eternal hope and the rewards that hope brings.Thank you so much for responding to the prompt and for this wonderful haibun and haiku. The haiku at the end is perfection and makes me smile.

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  12. Wow, that is quite a story. I am glad that, despite all of the obstacle all eventually worked out in the end. And what a nice touch that the cherry tree in the new location is just about to bloom!

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