In Which I Wax Eloquent About My Happy Place...

Ah, yes.

My happy place. Blossom!

The place that never seems to change, and when I'm there it seems as if nothing else has changed either. I've gone there with my family nearly every Summer since I was young enough to remember. we sit on the massive grassy slope and listen to the Cleveland Orchestra playing in the ampatheater below while gradually, as dusk sets in, a thousand crickets and cicadas tune up for an orchestra of their own-- my favorite sound in all the world, other than the voices of people I love.

And then, as if the two blending orchestras weren't enough, God sets his stars blazing one by one overhead while we lay on the blanket and gaze up at the sky.

There are always lovers sitting together and sipping wine and nibbling on cheese from the dainty basket they brought along (it's the most romantic spot EVER), and more than one family passing around munchies from their clunky coolers. Elegant couples light candles on the grass around their chairs and groups of young people in jeans and T-shirts pass around sodas. It's the quintessential meld of young and old, fun and formal, elegant and casual. It's a place of culture, which I always find reassuring in a society that has, I believe, lost much of its enjoyment of the finer arts and music. It's a place where TV and computer are absent and people are present; together; enjoying each other. (Except for the few folks I saw whipping around ipods. Come on people. Fer real?? That's just bad. It's a free country but not THAT free...The Blossom Police should ban it. In fact since it's so important to me they should make ME the Blossom Police.) Anyhow.

So Blossom is one of my favorite places in the world, because it's a mix of all my favorite things: my favorite people (family), my favorite sounds (crickets and the Cleveland orchestra), my favorite site (stars) and the nostalgia of tradition....which has become very precious to me. Yep, like Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof I'm all about traditions. :)

And one other cool thing about Blossom this year: I had a hot date.

...Yessirree! :)

Mom, Dad, Grandpa and I at Blossom

Now I know you must be DYING to visit Blossom, but perhaps you live too far away. If so, I've gone to all the trouble of recording a bit of last night's performance so you can catch a bit of the feel of my Happy Place. You can even hear the crickets too. :)

For anyone else who's reading this and lives in Ohio, you really ought to attend and take me along. I'd be a first-rate tour guide.

As long as you feed me.

'Cuz part of the tradition involves snacks.

(Cherries, among other things.)