Just last year.

It makes my throat hurt and my eyes water.

This is the climbing hydrangea in the yard.

I cannot wait.

Found a side table and thrift store lamp for super cheap.

Now I’m stumped again.

I picked a whole bunch of these flowers from the yard.

Then I looked them up online.

Apparently some of them are toxic.

Whoopsie.

Into the trash they went.

Entrance hall table again.

Yep.

The room still stumps me.

We spent our Sunday evening not at Bible study, but on the back patio. It was some much needed family time. There’s just not a lot of togetherness lately. That was my hope for this house. A fresh start. More time together.

Jane was sporting a cold and a bad attitude, Mabel ran around the yard, and I snapped pictures of all the things blooming in the yard.

I don’t have a lot to say, or write, this morning. Last week was a tough week for a lot of people we love, and it’s left me a bit quiet. This happens about as often as meteors in Russia, so I’m not sure what to make of this inner silence. So for today, I’ll just let these pictures do the talking. I hope you all have a wonderful Monday.

 

Last Sunday evening I went outside and picked two vases full of daffodil buds. The wind was blowing in the pine trees and I puttered around the yard with my scissors, clipping and snipping. Wet, cold weather was coming in, and the navy blue sky was roiling up above me, and two doves cooed frantically. It was a perfect moment.  It was a little snippet of time that will stay with me until I”m old. Isn’t it funny how that happens? How we plow through day after day, week after week, moving a thousand miles a minute, but every now and then the clock slows down to a crawl. That was what happened in the backyard, with the navy clouds overhead while I picked my daffodil buds.

Now they’re blooming. Oh how I needed it. I think February knew and she sent them to my yard.

So onward to Valentine’s day right?

1. Since our move it’s taken me weeks and weeks to find the Scotch tape. It’s been an Indiana Jones and the Holy Grail quest, complete with late night box digging expeditions.

2. Forget pedicures or haircuts or new clothes. Sometimes therapy is the best treat you can give yourself.

3. I’ve learned that Jane’s hair has a mind of its own. In the morning it wakes up and yells, “WOW. I FEEL GREAT. I’M GOING TO STAND UP AS BIG AS I CAN, FOR AS LONG AS I CAN, ALL DAY!”

4. No matter how bad my day, no matter how hurt my feelings, all is right with the world when Jane sidles up to me and sings Itsy Bitsy Spider, or as she pronounces it, “It Bit Pidoo.”

5. It’s tough working and being on my own with Jane at nights. But we’re getting the hang of it. Sometimes. Maybe.

6. Sometimes I get so sad thinking about not having another baby. And then Jane sleeps for 12 hours and I think, “No, I’m good. Really good.”

7. Next week is the season finale of Downton Abby. I wanted to have a watch party complete with fancy dresses and tea, but then I remembered it’s Sunday night at 9:00 and I have a standing date with a bowl of ice cream and my pajamas. I’m so American.

8. Angela’s birthday is coming up. She would have been 38. A lot of you ask about Bryan, and I don’t think he’d mind me telling you, he’s engaged. She’s a wonderful, warm, creative woman who treasures him, and treasures Angela’s sister and mother. I cannot say enough good things about her. I know Angela is looking down, and happy.

I also think she really approves when Jane crosses her arms, looks me square in the eye and says, “Nuh, Mommy. Nuh.”

Angela always approved of strong minded women.