Friendship & Cherry Trees

With bright eyes, a welcoming smile and a friendly kiss, she greets me. Her white cotton skirt flashing full circle as she excitedly leads the way, through the hall, toward her studio and into her heart!

I first spoke with Joan Sandford-Cook on the telephone when I joined the Fenland Visual Arts collective. Such a welcoming voice; youthful, passionate, energetic, our conversation flowed with ease and I looked forward to meeting her.
Just over a year later, and I still feel the same way.

Our days together are never very productive, our plans to sketch and paint are quickly forgotten on eye contact as we breeze through our time sharing thoughts, memories, plans and emotions.
Today our exchanges took place in Joan's garden at her home, the "Cherry Trees" and were accompanied by an assortment of salad items consumed only in intervals while one listened to the other. Joan has so many wonderful qualities, all worthy of much admiration but, for me, the jewel in her crown has to be her selflessness: to encourage another to shine and not deflect from the light they generate.

Time passed as it always does in Joan's company, far too quickly, but I am ever grateful of a bond such as ours, it is something rare to be savoured and cherished. For friendship, and money alike, do not grow on trees!


"Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person.
Having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words but pouring them all right out, just as they are chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them keeping what is worth keeping and, with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away" - Unknown Author