Breath of a fallen cloud
From the window of the house we see what we cannot see from the car driving up to Topolò. Spring softly arrived with the blossom of the wild cherry trees. Fallen clouds sprinkled all over the valley. Also the bees noticed their arrival, following the breath of the fallen clouds, returning with almond scented pollen to wake up the hive. Sparked by the bees’ excitement, we chase the clouds to get to know its smells and tastes. From the parking, we take the path down into the forest, looking up for cherry blossom clouds. We encounter many that safely and softly rest out of our reach. It’s the bees privilege to wander these pillows of almond scented flowers. It’s ours to wander and wonder about its taste, scent and touch. Walking on, we slowly accept our place at the roots of the blossom clouds. The wild cherry trees are reaching out to the sun, sharing their place with other trees competing for some rays. These wild cherries are way out of our reach. A wild cherry is to be picked by birds, by squirrels and explored with the nose by bees. We can only taste the wild cherry if it falls, and reach it before wild pigs, deers, and other critters take their share. Maybe the wild cherry trees are not to be consumed by us, maybe their role is to show us seasonal change. Make us aware of the transition of winter to summer as one of the first trees that blossoms. And when their white and pink petals wither and fall to the forest floor, this gives a sign to other trees to start their cycle from hibernation to growth again.
The arrival of the blossom makes me sigh, a long breath released. While winter still sits in my body, I’m invited to listen to the bees waking up, getting cozy on top of the trees. A sigh of transition, of letting go of one season, and opening up to receive the next.
Wandering further, we see a white cloud appearing at the roots of the forest. A fallen cherry tree, uprooted, but still connected to the earth. Coming closer we see the branches are full of blossoms and we are finally able to smell them. A sweet aroma of flowers and almonds fills our longing. This is the last breath of a fallen cloud. It is known that dying trees bloom stronger and more beautifully, attracting as many pollinators as possible to spread their future selves.
What seemed an impossible encounter, appeared within reach of our fingers, noses and tongues. We smelled, tasted and collected the cherry blossoms. We dried and stored them so we could share this experience with others. A few weeks later, we returned to the tree and observed how the last leaves too, were appearing. Together with a sweet group of visitors we tasted its cherry blossom and collected its last leaves. Those leaves were rolled between our palms leaving them scented for the rest of the day. Those cherry leave rolls were dried and stored. We follow the breath of the fallen cloud, one season feeding another, one gathering inviting the next.
This text was written after Robida’s Agri-care: perspectives on agriculture and art symposium, a three-days gathering where we discussed questions of land caretaking, agriculture, food production and transformation, orchards, bees and art practices.
Aljaž made an audio piece which follows a group of friends picking cherry leaves from a fallen wild cherry tree and having some cherry blossoms' tea together, celebrating the life of a beautiful Topolònian tree - give it a listen: