When I came to Wrocław in 1956, I took the house at 31 Kołłątaj St. In the backyard, there was a beautiful, old chestnut tree. When it came out in bloom in spring, the flowery candles on the chestnut tree gave us a lot of joy. Just like it did again later, when it was heavy with fruit, chestnuts dropping on the ground. When the kids were young, I made chestnut people for them. They collected chestnuts, and I made toys from them. It was a tree I have nice memories about; I remember it well. It is still there; you can go and see it.
In 1966, I moved to Nowowiejska St. And, imagine what, in the backyard there was a big chestnut tree just like the one in Kołłątaj St. But the kids were big by then; I did not make chestnut people any more, but I watched the tree with great pleasure all the time. I still watch it today – in spring, when it comes back to life, and in autumn, when it bears fruit and sheds foliage. To me, it’s like counting the time, counting the years.