Months and months of clouds finally dissipated. The sun shone brightly. Springtime warmth was on the way. Time to take an April early-morning walk. Out the door of my house I went, to take my favorite walk right up to the top of Village Hill. It was nature quiet. The birds were active. The sound of the Mill River was there—the comforting flow of water moving in the riverbed. But no cars and no humans, at least to start the walk. Time to notice the small things.
Over one branch of the Mill River, past the old Mill on Mill Street, into town, I walked. Going along East Main, my favorite shaggy black dog was resting, waiting for his belly rub. Crossing North Street and making my way along North Main, the Meekins Library, on the other side of the river, was stately against the clear blue sky. The front of the 1836 historic Williamsburg Congregational Church was in shadow, but the steeple shone in the sunshine.
At the corner of Buttonshop, I started up Village Hill. First stop, the Old Village Hill Cemetery inviting me in to look at the newly cleaned stones. A few more steps and another meander into the Village Hill Cemetery, taking a moment to pause before the 1874 crypt and remember the victims of the Mill River Flood and reflect on the courage and fortitude of so many, now, 150 years ago.
Continuing up hill, there were stone walls to see, red barns, and the weathered stone marking the site of the first church meeting house on a rise on the hill. And birds to listen to, and trees in bud to see and then all the spring flowers. Large and small, bright colors everywhere. Vivid yellow daffodils with dew still on the petals, pink/purple rhododendrons ready to pop, soft yellow forsythia draping down, even the lowly yellow dandelions looked festive.
Coming back down again and making my way home, there were new sights— tree buds pink against a red shed, deep red branches along the wetland part of the street, orange and yellow tulips just opening in my own garden. And the comforting sound of the river water still there.
It was a morning full of small observances and a celebration of Spring. How do you welcome Spring? Daria D’Arienzo, Meekins Archivist and photographer. #throwbackthursday; #tbt.
Posted to Facebook 4/18/2024
