February 15, 2023
We’ve been teased by Mother
Nature with a wonderful taste of spring this past week. It’s been mild enough
these last few days that David has sat out on his beloved porch a few times—with,
of course, all the dogs in tail-wagging attendance. Seriously, it would be
difficult for me to decide who was more enraptured with the basking in the sun—human,
or canines. Then yesterday, he treated himself to a scooter ride to the great and
historic commercial center of our small town. Stated goal, he wanted to get me
some flowers and a card for me for Valentine’s Day. Major side benefit? A takeout
order of his favorite fries and gravy from the restaurant just across the
street from the pharmacy.
In the aftermath, when the
tummy bliss was but a memory, he was a very happy camper. And, since he brought
me (as well as the flowers and the card) a gyro from that same take-out eatery,
I was a happy camper, too.
Already our front flower beds
are showing lovely little green shoots. Of course, this warming trend and
glorious sunshine is truly just a tease; we’re not done with the cold
and the snow quite yet. But since those same plants have come up early the last
couple of years, I won’t worry about them. They’ve already proven themselves to
be pretty hardy and adept at handling nature’s false starts. They don’t seem to
let another snowfall or two stop them.
It’s a good thought to
remember and hold close; even under the snow and during the worst blizzards,
plants are working to get ready to bloom. They never once show in any way that
they believe they will never bloom again—and neither should we.
For all the predictions we
heard last autumn to the contrary, this hasn’t been a horrible winter, not in
any way. Oh, we’ve had a few visits to the sub-zero zone on the thermometer,
but those were only days at a time, and not weeks. And yes, here we’ve had a
few good dumps of snow, but each time, after a couple of weeks, that snow has
melted.
At this point in time all we
have to show for all the active winter weather we’ve endured is a ridge of ice
just a few inches from the sidewalk – underneath where the cars are usually
parked.
I’ve been doing my best recently
to disengage from the crazies and the reality-challenged who seem to be filling
the air waves lately. For my own mental well-being, as well as my blood
pressure, I believe this is a prudent course of action for me to take. I’ve
come to the conclusion that the cause of most of the strife and division and
bare naked stupidity in this world can be summed up in one word: politics.
There was a song released way
back in 1970 by an artist named Edwin Star. It’s opening lines are: War…huh….yeah/
What is it good for? Absolutely nothing…
I’m thinking a 2023 update might be in order, substituting the word “politics”
for “war”. Yes, my friends, that is harsh. I know there are some folks of every
belief system, from all sides of the aisle as it were, who do good work, and
are true public servants. But from where I’m sitting, those good hearted folks
appear to be heartbreakingly outnumbered.
Meanwhile, we’re beginning to
think of the planting season about to come. We aren’t just going to talk about
the veggies we would like to start and then grow in our table gardens; no, we’re
actually going to do that little thing. Now there’s a good bumper sticker: Don’t
just talk; do!
But first, my daughter and I
need to see what we can do about replacing all the soil currently in those
boxes….my dear husband hates what he perceives as waste. But there are areas in
our yard that could use the current several-years used soil to good purpose.
And now, I will focus with
anticipation on the season of new beginnings and regrowth to come.
Love,
Morgan
http://www.bookstrand.com/morgan-ashbury
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