We're jumping ahead here to a painting Pissarro completed when he was 65 years old. But why? Because we need some cheering up. So much ill feeling and dis-ease these days in our national life; our Church life. Such troubles in the world. We might imagine stepping into this little apple orchard of young trees at Eragny, a suburb of Paris, about 16 miles from city center.
Pissarro loved to paint 'en plein air' - outdoors - often completing a painting in one sitting. He painted flowering orchards, vegetable and flower gardens, different seasons at different times of the day. He was observant of cloud formations and movement, light and shadow and village life. And just as we see here, he observed people who are often workers, but workers at rest or engaging in conversation.
Have you ever inhaled an apple orchard in spring bloom? Felt the air vibrating with bees? We might spend a few minutes with this marvelous painting; let it serve as a gloom chaser. Is yours a gloomy Lent? I hope not. Jesus doesn't want or need that - Jesus who loved the birds of the air and the flowers of the field.
