Ribbons of thought.

When I was a much younger human, I was separated from my half-siblings.  Raised with my brother and sister, my family also included three half-brothers and a half-sister, all at least ten years older than myself.  My parents had each been married before, each having two children.

Now, my dad’s two kids were with their mother most of the time and we rarely saw them.  My mom’s boys, however, were with our grandmother and we saw them on summer breaks and holidays.  There’s a lot I don’t understand about how that all played out, and some of the details have gone to the grave with the players, but, I would guess the parties involved all thought they were doing the right thing.

 

I was raised well.  We were expected to behave properly, with manners, and with a full understanding of what was right and wrong.  We often dined in public, in restaurants, as we traveled, and were expected to know how to act. My parents were often complimented on our appearance and behavior.  Given that we moved so much, it’s a wonder we functioned, but we did. We adjusted, for sure.

I was thinking this week how much time I have spent in this little town I call home.  Never far from my address, I know this property well having walked it for forty years.  However, I can’t recall the names of towns I lived in as a kid there were so many. Moses Lake, Washington is one I remember because it’s a funny name and because I remember my mom use to regularly report it was 114 degrees there once.  I don’t know how long we were there but I think I was in second grade.  My younger brother was to be right behind me in first grade but hadn’t attended kindergarten yet so had to do that in Moses Lake.  I remember my mom being kind of upset by that, and I am not sure why. 

It is funny as we get older how things pop into our head, as clear as if they had happened yesterday.  Of course, we probably have all had the experience of a smell bringing a memory back, unprompted and sometimes shockingly clear. Once a faint smell of leather brought my dad to me, coming in from work and the three of us kids fighting over who would help him take off his work boots. Him sitting down with a cold beer, a plate of saltines and cheese, maybe braunschweiger or just a handful of mixed nuts.  My mom always had something ready for him to nibble on as she cooked dinner.  He would then go in to shower, coming back out in a white tee shirt and slacks, wet hair combed back.  Sometimes he would have a second beer, sometimes he would have a "highball", offering to make one for mom, which she usually declined. We would run outside until dinner, playing in and around his pickup truck, while he relaxed from his day and watched the news, read the paper.    

Some memories are gone as quickly as they came. Some hang around a bit, turning over and around, playing a bit of hide and seek, letting themselves float back up more readily than before. I can bring these memories of my dad to the surface quicker now, I guess because I've allowed them to linger.  Lately, I find myself wishing I could ask my mom some of the questions that now circle around some of my memories, that I could tie some of those ribbons together. Like, what's a highball anyway? What in the world is in braunschweiger or am I better off not knowing?     

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Choose wisely.

Still working on landscaping this week but getting closer every day.  A little bit more, a little bit less. I know we are knocking items off our list, but the list seems to grow at the same pace. 

I did take a bit of time away this week to take my wonderful nephew, Jack, to see Rent in Indianapolis.  He is a big fan of live Broadway, has a musician’s soul and heart, and I knew he would love the show; he did, I did and one of my daughters went along, too, and she did.  Now,  she and I have seen Rent a few times, both live and the movie and it still pulls at the feels.  We went all in for a new dining experience in an area of Indianapolis known for its small restaurants, clubs, shops and arts, and a second day trip to the Indianapolis Museum of Art, now known as Newfields.  It was a good couple of days.

Last minute get-togethers, friends on the lake. Neighbors helping neighbors, family dropping by to help with projects or just a touch base to see what’s new, little kids running in the yard and robbing the candy jar. It makes my heart sing.  Children always bring me joy.   

I believe in what I do.  I believe in posting happy pictures and sentiments both here and on Facebook.  I accept it won’t impact the political climate of this country, or maybe it will in a very disconnected, down the chain fashion if ONE person decides to go positive, go for love, when making a statement, pass a judgement or please, for goodness sake, cast a vote.  These are unsettling times, they are. I call myself a person of faith and yearn, burningly, to act like one, speak like one, love like one.  Keep your chin up, and keep your heart, your empathy, because there is a BIG need. 

Be careful, be cautious of spreading hate as that will come back at you tenfold…I promise, and so will love.  I choose love.

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Where did that month go?

I think I may have bought enough plants for this year.  May have…but there is still time to decide for sure.  I have about 5 pots of various perennials and a couple annuals that do not yet have a home, however,  rain somewhat delayed the planting progress for a time.  There is also still a large, very large, amount of landscaping prep to undertake before some of these items go in the ground, but, I am making headway. My sons-in-law helped tremendously on a flower bed over Memorial Day weekend which took a huge chunk off my "to do" list.  

When we remodeled (starting two years ago now), it disrupted all four sides of the house, and the foundation and any grass, shrubs, flowers, gravel, mulch…any of it…was destroyed in the process.  Now, I don’t mind “re-do” on these four areas but, boy, is my back tired!  I have spent the last several days digging out, dividing and replanting.  Some of my plants and shrubs, that weren’t destroyed, are pretty well established but no longer of the right size or in the right spot. 

I have also recently discovered, and this is a big one, that there are just not enough hours in the day.  I know I don’t move as fast as I use to, and it takes me longer to make a decision than it did when all my decisions had to be made on the fly…things came up so quickly.  Now, I get to ponder but, boy, that’s a time burner.  I find myself walking around, poking at the flower beds and wondering if I should move that azalea, but, it likes it there, but its too big, and there’s a good spot for something like that right over here…time burner. Even so, it’s been a gratifying few days.  Things are taking shape.  Rain slowed me down but it sped up the plants.  Things are green and growing, have had a power burst from the rain and I also discovered I am a master ponderer.   

 

Seeing lots of friends and family post on Facebook about their kids growth and moving on to their next grade level, their awards and recognition has been a lot of fun.  My grandkids among them.  My little guys have all had good years at school and pre-school/daycare.  They are happy and healthy and I am forever blessed.  I hope you are in a place where happiness can easily be seen and felt!  June is here, and it's going to be a great summer.  Get out! 

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An early start.

I spent yesterday moving a heavy piece of assembled decking around the yard.  My back today is going to keep me from doing a lot of planting, and it is a gorgeous day.  The flowers are out and ready, but, I’m a bit too sore to do much of that. 

I was up early today and sat down by the water on the little bench the niece-neighbor brought out a couple years ago.  We washed it down and oiled it earlier this spring on a couple of warmish days.  It is back in its spot on the porch of the shed and is a welcome place to sit in the morning, birds chirping and flitting about…a great vantage point for watching little dog walk all around the property.  I am glad to be back outside in these early morning hours, coffee in hand and thinking about my plan for the day.

 

I walked down to the pier, and out to check the bottom of the lake that I could see, before the lily pads take over, to peer from the pier.  Geese squawked from the lake, wondering when I would vacate so they could get back on shore to leave their droppings all over.  There were three sets of parents and their little goslings…cute but annoying. The mess they make of the shoreline irritates me.

 

A stroll around the house after a sunny day tickles me as the perennials have started poking up through the ground and unfurling their leaves.  I delight in what wasn’t there yesterday but is there today.  A walk out on the trail to nowhere and to the moon garden area results in a mental list…”If my back were not so sore today I would…” The squirrels and chipmunks have left big holes in the ground.  We will have to have a conversation about that, oh chattering squirrel.  That is not cool.

Continuing on the trail, I made note of the many clumps of daffodil leaves poking up without blooms.  I’ll need to divide those and replant, which I can manage a bit later this spring.  There are also tons of daffodils in bloom, so pretty, but more would be fine, too!

Back into the house to feed little dog and grab some breakfast before getting on with the day.  The walk did my back good, and my ol’ stiff knees.  Maybe I will be able to get out there and dig in some dirt after all.

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Tiny squirrels, tiny patience.

Started accumulating a few plants to fill up the many, many pots.  I have worked on the “dry creek bed” at the downspout area and fought the urge, fought it again, still fighting, to put something in the ground.  I have started “hardening” the few plants I have by setting them outside and then bringing them back in at night.  We have a few more days of cold nights…below 40…ahead but I think the freeze is over.  Possibly.  There’s a chance that Wednesday will get below 32.  Come on.  My patience is wearing thin.  

For the last couple of years we have had a black squirrel running around the property.  I have only seen one, at least I think its just one.  However, this morning I noticed a little bitty black squirrel, a baby, chasing around with other tiny squirrels.  Now, my old neighbor told me when we first spotted the lone black squirrel a couple years ago that they are not a separate type of squirrel but more of a rare coloring of your typical squirrel.  So, it’s not like I have new varieties of squirrels popping up, just regular old squirrels that have a degree of “melanism”.  Here’s some info, if you would care to learn more: https://animalsake.com/facts-about-black-squirrels

At any rate, the tiny little squirrels chasing around and around the wood chip pile and up and down trees this morning are very entertaining.  As soon as they start uprooting my plantings I will be less enamored, I’m sure. 


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Spring marches on.

Yesterday I watched two white birds circle the lake, hover, dive and circle again.  I watched the birds for a long time, trying to determine just exactly what they were.  I am hoping they come back today, so I can get a better view of them.  Yesterday was just too cold to walk down to the lakeshore for a closer look; today is a bit better but, they haven't shown up yet.  And, no, they were not sea gulls but, thanks for that. I have my guess as to what they were but need a closer look to know for sure. 

I am not necessarily a bird watcher. I am more of a bird appreciator but it’s not something I spend a lot of time thinking about.  In the spring, though, like today, and in the morning, I am fascinated by bird behavior.  Like, right now, for example, I glanced out the window and way, way up in the sky is a big bird, circling, I can’t make it out enough to know for sure, but my guess is its one of the bald eagles that has settled in to our area. It’s cloudy today but the sky is very blue, and this guy was easy to spot, hunting for breakfast.

I need to shake it up a bit, however, and watching out my window is one of those things I need to consider...as in giving it a rest.   Complaining *almost* silently about the snow and temperature this early April is not how I hoped it to go, and being inside even less so.  Its going to stay pretty much mid-30s today which makes it just a little too tough to dig into the wood chip pile or to think about having some dirt delivered. I am going to shop for dirt. Of all the things I would like to have for the yard this year, a load of dirt is going to be the big expense. Maybe even a load of river rock. Hey, big spender.

I am watching a woodpecker out my window now and wondering how many holes it can punch into this particular tree before the tree gives up. From the looks of the tree, thousands. I really wanted to get a picture of him to share with you, but woodpeckers flit and he's being mighty coy.  Husband and I spent a little time in the woods this past weekend, surveying the trees, picking up limbs and sticks, blowing leaves off the walking trail, explaining my ideas for the moon garden and talking about undergrowth and “weed trees”. Grateful to be able to spend a little time outside, doing what we do every spring in unspring-like temperature, but it still felt good,  I may get about an hour in the low 40s mid-afternoon today to venture out and move around some rocks.. 

 

Yesterday I put out a call for help this weekend to put in the pier.  The weather is to improve a bit and the water should warm up, at least a little, as I am sure it is not the most comfortable thing to walk in icy cold lake water.  A bonfire might come in handy, even if in the early part of the day, and of course there will be food and drink.  Because, it’s a pier raising, and still a party.  


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We will get there again.

This has been a crazy week, with the stock market going up, then down, then up…then, who knows? Then, there’s the snow issue.  I’ve written about April snow before and well, I don’t like it one bit.  I have sweet little primrose blossoms trying to push their way through and it isn’t going well for them, nor all the daffodils that sprinkle the woods with their smiley yellow.  What did they ever do except look precious and sweet?

Good news is I am watching robins daily.  Now, I am keeping an eye on the light fixtures around the house to prevent nests from appearing.  I know some of you would just say “Oh, let them nest on top of that light!” but, you know, its just not my thing.  I like birds but really don’t think they need to nest on the house.  Especially not my new light fixtures.

 

I am still struggling with the right piece of furniture to put on the front porch area.  I’m now just without anything out there.  The wicker settee that I had moved there came back in to the screen porch last week for a party and has not been moved out.  The screen porch is the next project to be completed, is about 90% and awaits the arrival of the ceiling tongue and groove boards, and the shiplap to complete the project.  Yes, shiplap.  I drank the kool-aid and admit I kind of like the look, at least for now.

Another project I am undertaking this next week is the top of my desk and the office/guest bedroom closet.  I am just going to have to bite the bullet and buy another tote for Christmas decorations that can go in the attic.  I couldn’t possibly squeeze another box in this closet, and I feel like I have condensed as much as I can.  Now, this is from the lady who doesn’t put up a tree remember?  Yes, and still has that many boxes of Christmas stuff, and there may be just a bit of Halloween crammed in that closet as well.

  

Construction is going on all around me this spring as the neighbors across the way are finishing their garage, the house next door is being renovated and the big project – the brand new house.  Its going to be noisy and not always the most convenient perhaps since we share a yard and driveway, but, we are all so excited to see that house get underway!

I am looking forward to it warming up just a bit more…to longer days and being able to sit on the deck, with a fire in the firepit, or down by the bonfire. Maybe with an adult beverage, a cheese or two, as we say goodnight to the day.   

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