Ann Sheppard

Spring in My Grandmother’s Yard

by MORVARID IGHANI

If you have the chance to visit the Baharan neighborhood in spring, you will be sure to notice my grandmother’s house. The house has a bright blue door, and the branches of orange trees have crept through the wall. In spring, the scent of orange blossoms fills the whole alley. When you open the door and enter the house, you will see a large yard filled with fruit trees that perfume the space with their beautiful fragrance. On the right-hand side of the yard, there are five orange trees, three kiwi trees, and a persimmon tree. The blossoms lie across the path and in the early morning, when you walk there, you can hear the song of sparrows. Birdsong and the scent of blossoms are a sign that spring has arrived and the garden is flourishing.

In the middle of the yard, in early morning when the sun rises, the reflection of light in the pond is spectacular. Colorful flowers, such as pink roses, purple violets, and sunflowers circle the pond, and their petals glisten in the morning light. In the afternoon, you can sit on a bench by the pond and eat a slice of a whole watermelon that has cooled in the pond since morning. On the left side of the yard, different vegetables are planted in neat rows. In this vegetable garden, there are organic vegetables such as eggplant, zucchini, cucumber, and tomatoes, all ready to be picked and taken to the kitchen to play their part in delicious dishes. A little further on stands a cage filled with roosters and with hens that provide fresh eggs for breakfast every morning.

Spring in my grandmother’s house means a lot to me when the holidays come and the whole family gathers there. Sitting on a bench, breathing in the fresh air, and listening to the birdsong makes me feel alive. For me, this large green yard is a window on endless peace and beauty.