spring

What will come next

from the red book…

Wondering what will come next, I fell into a somber mood. The sky was ready for spring. I saw the buds on the trees start to green. It was wonderful to anticipate the returning flocks. I am always amazed when they finally arrive.

Some farmers burn their fence rows in the spring. Normally there is enough moisture that the fires don’t spread. I never liked the harsh smoke that the fires made and have never set those fires.

It has been a hard winter. The ice was everywhere. I keep my house clean so that guests will feel welcome. Some days I try too hard, and I can’t stop moving.

a clock waiting for the right time

It was windy today. I wanted to go for a walk. I have plenty of people to visit. I think they will be surprised to hear my bold knock at their door. I like it when people came to visit. Usually, it is strangers with something to sell or a message to share.

Soon I will be able to travel. I don’t go out much, but I would like to walk on a wilderness trail. I don’t want to get lost, so I stay away from the wild areas with paths that are hard to follow.

I was reading today. The words were from people who can share their stories in an inviting way. I look forward as they offer lessons that open my eyes to a new reality.

I was sorrowful when I learned how so many people are waiting for a chance to escape. While I feel safe in my home, I know that not everyone has the same attitude. What I welcome, some find as oppressive and harsh. I wish I knew what could offer a different way.

The earth is always turning and each day the sun rises from a different point on the horizon. I see the changes from season to season, but the world is more intricate than that. The planets move through the sky following their own missions. The wild animals don’t notice the changing heavens as they search for food and hope for a chance to live another day. The seasons begin when they are ready, and I wait for them to come around.

I see the world change from day to day. While I don’t always have the words to describe each change, I am glad that the changes never stop.

Overlooking the garden

a few green leaves from a garden

Bang! The window rattled in the kitchen overlooking the garden. The morning sun slanted into the room, lighting up the counter piled with dishes just washed. The knives that she received for Christmas were from the uncle who was distant because he seemed to listen but rarely spoke.

The garden was just starting. She was proud of the even rows that are kept clear of weeds and pests. Somehow, the insects overlooked her garden. Her hatred of poisons and herbicides had been well respected most years.

The window was not normally a target. All spring, the cool breeze that came through it spread the aroma of stew and spices. Past years, the bakery items would be shared with the neighbors. The perfection of the garden’s beauty seemed far from the mess that was her childhood. It was overwhelming and nothing made sense.

Uncle Mark was surely a misfit. No one visited him. I was glad when he gave the gifts last year. He was pulled into the family finally and his reticence to speak was replaced with his chuckling followed by hearty laughter and everyone knew something had changed. At the get-togethers, they always played cards. Oh Heck and Euchre. Uncle Mark had pretty bad luck. The cards ware never what he needed to earn points. He was a good sport and even played to help the kids beat the serious players. It wasn’t so much sacrificing to help the others but rather a streak of mischief-making that had never been evident to anyone.

The knives were still new. their hardwood handles didn’t have much wear. The days of cooking had been slowly fading away. It wasn’t a problem that made her slow down, but rather the old enthusiasm and inventiveness weren’t fun anymore. Perhaps it was time to share the household with another person.

The summer was just beginning, and the harvest was not yet causing the fridge and pantry to overflow. Peas would be the first followed by beans and radishes. The sunny days had been slow to arrive this year. It was time to find something new to do. The days are growing longer, but the time spent alone is more burdensome than before. Life was changing and the future was not so shiny anymore.

… from the red book

The Pond

I remember the odd rectangular pond. It was near the old road down the hill. Looking back, I think it was dug for a construction project years before I was there.

The water was full of algae and I saw a lot of frogs and salamanders there. Sometimes I saw some egg clusters in the Spring. They were a glob of small marbles with a little bit of dark in the center. There were tadpoles sometimes too.

There was a real lake near there. The beach was rocky with only a little sand. They gave swimming lessons in the summer, but I always failed. I couldn’t get over the unpleasant feeling of the water up my nose.

I wonder what the other kids thought of me. We lived far from town and we never went to parties. Or at least I never did. I was too busy reading encyclopedias to go out and play sports or hang out. I was terrified of getting in trouble. I would feel a horrible burning sensation on the back of my neck, so I stayed good.

I didn’t know other places to find salamanders. They were exotic brown amphibians that usually ran away before I could catch them. They had little toes on their feet. I think their legs were more coming from the sides of the bodies instead of below.

I was glad when “mud season” was there. The clay ground near the surface had mud underneath it so that you could squish on the top and water would come up through the cracks. I’ve always liked playing with water.

Our house had a metal roof that was painted green. My bedroom was upstairs so when the rain came, it made a lot of noise. The outside of the house was cedar shakes. The slabs of wood were layered on each other. They changed color as they aged. My parents liked their memory and included them in the Indiana house that was on a hill.

The Vermont house is still there as is the maple tree that hung the swing. It was big when I was little. Now it must be huge.

Flowering trees

It’s really beautiful out in the neighborhood. The fruit trees are covered with beautiful white flowers and the trees are starting to bud.

My sister says that it’s miserable if you have allergies. I’m grateful that I don’t.

One of the coolest websites I’ve found recently is http://hint.fm/wind/ It gives an animated map of wind in the continental U.S. It’s updated every hour and is always interesting. I had always believed that the prevailing wind direction for northeast Indiana was from the west, but the maps don’t seem to agree very often.

Evil Mad Scientist’s link dump for the month http://www.evilmadscientist.com/2016/linkdump-march-2016/ revealed this video showing circuits being deconstructed by a CNC router layer by layer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHqN6CTOdzA

It’s a good day to share the beauty.

Autumn is drawing near

I was in the neighborhood today. The trees were tall and proud. Some were revealing a hint of their autumn splendor. Their leaves were blazing from their original green into oranges and reds.

The trees’ discarded leaves will cover my home soon. The yard will need to be raked—I enjoy the exercise. A gas-powered blower only pulls me away from my beloved nature. I relish the fresh breeze and cold sky.

The shining moon has changed each day this week. I saw it once more tonight. Soon the sky will be full of its glowing orb. I love the moon’s light and the silver sheen that comes from its celestial desert.

The trees are harbingers of a new season. Soon the sky will turn gray and cold. I will explore the world less. Eventually the moon will rise over a new season again. I will be waiting for the crocuses to return.