Saturday, February 18, 2023

attempting normalcy and spring sprung


In an attempt at restoring normalcy, I went to yoga Wednesday night, then fixed a quick easy meal of baked perch fillets, steamed broccoli, baby croissants from the freezer, and grapefruit halves. Yesterday I finally made it back to SHARE which was short staffed and busy. First thing I had to do was restock my station while the baskets piled up but eventually caught up. Another cold front started blowing in and by late afternoon it was cold and windy and I was napping on the couch, opting not to go to yoga that night. Still catching up I guess. Yesterday morning I had to wake up before dawn to get Marc to the follow up appointment after his Wednesday appointment to get the results of his blood work. No waiting for the doctor at 7:15 in the morning. At this rate being sleepy is going to be a permanent condition. Then I finished my book, French Braid, and can start the one on loan from a different library, Neverwhere, so I can get it read before it has to go back. Did the dishes, took Minnie for the longest of the long walks, and fixed dinner.

Despite the current cold weather, spring happened while Marc was in the hospital. One of the tallows and both ginkgo trees and a few other trees in the neighborhood have put out their new spring leaves. Yesterday I saw two red bud trees in full bloom. The big backyard is covered with 10 petal anemone blooms and dandelions coming on.

The ground orchids (bletilla) are blooming,

daffodils starting,

some early amaryllis bloom stalks appeared,

and my personal harbinger of spring, the crane flies, hatched.

The shop yard already had to be mowed, the spring weeds and grass were so high. The birds are still mobbing the bird feeder, big fluffed up blue jay on there now, lots of cardinals, chickadees, titmice, goldfinches, sparrows, an occasional little warbler and wren are what I'm seeing right now.

The week before Marc went into the hospital, I finally hung my collection of chandelier crystals that I've been accumulating for years, some of which I bought at the Thieves Market in Portugal. There's still three but I ran out of room in the window because I already had three things hanging there. I may take the big flower on the left down and put it elsewhere as the last three would fit nicely in that space. But for now this is how it looks. They throw prisms all over the room in the morning as the sun rises in the winter when the trees are bare.



 

16 comments:

  1. I love the crystals in the window. The rainbows around the room are so cheering. Glad your life is more or less normal at this point. Wise not to throw yourselves back into everything, maybe. You've had a lot of strain to recover from. Yoga and reading sound good.

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  2. I love the crytals, too. I am so ready for Spring! Can't wait to flee this house and the sick man!

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  3. 37paddington: the crystals are lovely. It’s shocking how life keeps happening, nature keeps doing its thing while you are in crisis. I’m glad you’re starting to reconnect with the things that you enjoy, even as you perform as scheduler, driver, nurse, cook, and partner on this healing journey Marc is on.

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  4. Oh, Lady. You are in that inbetween-place, I guess. Your husband is home but things are different. Settling into a new normal is never easy. I hate it that you're not getting enough sleep and rest but if anyone can do it- you can.
    I am looking at my prisms hanging on my porch right now as the evening sun shines through them. They make me happy and I know that yours will make you happy too.

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  5. The first appointment of the day is good for not waiting, but not so great for the sleeping. I do love the prisms you've hung.

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  6. Nothing is happier than rainbows splashed across the room. Spring has definitely come to your part of the country.
    Xoxo
    Barbara

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  7. Spring has sprung, for sure. Your crystals are lovely. It's good to see your personal harbingers of spring make their appearance.

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  8. I'm getting tired of moving my plants in and out of the house. I hope they can stay out for much needed sun and warm weather. We are expecting another front on Tuesday so I'm hoping it won't make it too cold. My lemon tree lost most of it's lemons that last time David brought it indoors. He is not delicate with my plants.

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  9. Attempting normalcy is the undercurrent of my life, so I can relate. I love the crystals and your spring blossoms, some of which we have too and which bring me great happiness. I hope your man gets better every day and you can settle back to a state beyond attempting.

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  10. It always feels weird when life goes on while your own life feels crazy. Glad things are settling back to normal and hoping Marc continues to recover and you get some needed rest!

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  11. I love your crystals! I might have to put some in one of our windows. For a while it was completely covered by plants, but we trimmed one back a TON so now I can actually see through the window.

    I remember Neverwhere - I loved it! I think I listened to the audio, which Gaiman read, and it was great (he's a very good reader).

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  12. There is so much promise in the beauty of the first spring flowers. That, and the light in crystals in the window make for a wonderful return to some sense of normalcy. Hope all is going well there.

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  13. Attempts at restoring normalcy when things are anything but normal can be tricky. Big hugs, Spring brings such Promise.

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  14. I must admit I was gobsmacked by the crystals. What a lovely idea.

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  15. lovely flowers and crystals! and yes i am into yoga too, i hope you make it again next time, but i would say too, sleep comes first, sleep to me essential for all else.

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  16. I had to smile at your inclusion of the mosquito eater. I've started seeing them, too -- a real sign of spring. I'm glad Marc is home now; getting back to 'normal' will be a process, but it's begun. Spring's actually a good time to begin again for us humans, too -- no matter our situation. Follow the flowers' example and take it slow. You'll bloom again when the time is right.

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