Heat Wave

Unseasonably warm this week - the neighbors have their AC on, but we don't. I just shut the furnace off 3 days ago, and there seems to be something really wrong with running both the heat and AC on the same day.  I took the opportunity, though, to sand some outdoor furniture we inherited with the house. It's made of an Australian timber called jarrah, and should look pretty good once I get it sanded down and finished.(I thought it was teak, but I was wrong.)  Anyway, wore my Maui shirt out in the sunshine. I've never been to Hawaii, but I'm a good enough friend that I got the shirt.

Tried out the grill today and I'm restraining myself so I don't run out and start buying plants. Last frost date is April 15 here, and we aren't there for almost a month. Besides, we don't have a landscape plan in place yet. But I did dump some bags of dirt to fill in a low spot in the yard, so it medicated my need to garden.

We visited different churches last weekend and today. I think we're getting a bead on where we may land. I'll keep you posted. It's been an interesting, discussion-filled process, and Bruce and I have not been on the same page too often.

My journal is filled with thoughts, things I'm learning, and things I'm wondering about. I heard in a commercial today that the average person has 3000 thoughts every day. I'm pretty sure I have that many by 10 a.m.  I'm also checking out "Frownies" to see if I can remove the permanent look of scrutiny I have developed. The wrinkles don't go away anymore - PermaCrease has set in. Over 50!

OK, I'm back

Vacation was wonderful.

Got to see another part of this new state of ours - the side with the mountains and plethora of tourist traps devoid of meaningful entertainment (OK, my sister wanted to know what I did to deserve to be sent to "a tourist hell hole"). The wonderful part was hanging out in a mountainside cabin with 3 other couples, eating wonderful food, laughing until we almost had to get out the Depends. These are Bruce's people from the Shelby County 4-H County Council days some 35 years ago. He still has his jacket, as seen at right.  I was not kidding when I said the man never throws anything away. Anyway, it was worth some laughs when he showed up at the airport wearing it. And I am grateful to be grafted into this crazy, funny, thoughtful group.


Our van did well on the steep and curvy mountain roads, even loaded with 8 adults. One group vehicle had a water pump issue, so for a day or so we had the whole group traveling in ours while the other was being repaired. "Community" at its finest. And Bruce and I were feeling pretty smug since we took a lot of trash talk from our offspring last fall for purchasing another minivan. We told them we wanted a people hauler - and I guess we got one!

Yard Work

We've had some lovely days, but as I've said, we were told to not get used to it. But seizing the moments, I've been trying to get at some yard work, and have put considerable effort into cleaning up the "back boundary" of our property which abuts a school yard.  I have collected all manner of trash, bottles, wrappers, discarded planters and yard waste, and a few toys. I also wielded a lopper and cut down vines, branches and volunteer scrub trees. Can't tell you how relieved I was to wake up and not find myself covered in poison ivy blisters.

Also discovered, next to the poured patio, a small hole that I enlarged to make a larger hole (noted at right). I wondered what might be living down there and Bruce thought maybe a ground squirrel.  Made me wish for our cats. But never mind, it was a hole and I let it go, UNTIL the next day when I watched a snake go down the hole. OK, now we have a problem. I am ready to back the cement truck up to the patio and pump concrete down the hole and seal it off permanently. Overkill, you s'pose?

Current musing: my default mode is arrogance against God. What I can't control, I worry about. What I can control, I generally become presumptive about and act on auto-pilot.

Seeking to be yielded, trusting and grateful.

It's Coming!

I'm not daring to think that Spring is here in the southern United States, but the promises are all there. I've been told that I will get lulled into thinking the snow is over and done with and it's time to put on sandals, and then we'll get another round of cold and snow.

But I was out walking today, and even though it's cloudy and there's a north wind, the crocus are undeniable signs - it won't be long until Spring, for real. The pansies are actually carry-overs from fall planting - I had no idea they could survive single digit weather. So, I've learned something. For the record, these plants were found on my walk, not in my yard. The yard is a ...fresh palette, shall we say?

This was a jaw-dropper:  Yesterday I walked downtown and as I passed a house, a woman who had just parked in the driveway jumped out of her car and said, "Joanne!"  Startled, I turned around and she continued, "remember me from Tracy Lane?" OK, my name is Joanne, and I DID live on Tracy Lane in Iowa City 25 years ago. I was wracking (racking?) my brain trying to place her, but truly I couldn't remember anyone who looked like her from Iowa City (she was of African-American descent, which aided the brain search). She continued, seeing my puzzled look, "You know, we used to watch the girls play softball. How is your daughter?" So that was the clincher, because Emily NEVER played softball.

I explained that I had just moved here 3 months ago, and I was really sorry, but I didn't think I was who she thought I was. The woman apologized and said, "You look just like my friend, Joanne." Well, I'm going to have to keep my eyes open for her - I may have a twin here!

I'm Lovin' It!

My apologies for the silence of the past week and a half. The biggest issue is that my laptop refuses to communicate with SD cards, USB plug-ins, DVDs or CDs, so any images I want to post have to be in my files already or I take them on my cell phone and email them to myself. Lame, I know.

The other factor in my failure to post is that we have guests in our home 20 of 28 days in February, (and 9 days in March already slated) and I'm having a ball. Most recent guests have included Bruce's folks and Emily & a friend. More friends arrive tomorrow.

Here you can see my friends (at right) who are getting a real workout these days. Lovin' it!

It is clear: I have to start pacing myself. Meeting new people, hosting friends and family, and exploring new food establishments have created a dangerous environment for me. The biscuits are beginning to lodge in undesirable places. There are two that have taken up residency, suspiciously reminiscent of "love handles". Rats!  Bring out the salad and hold the corn cakes!

New Growth

I'm dreaming of spring.

Even though I have no hope that there is anything interesting planted in our new yard, I figure I can walk the beautiful neighborhoods when things start blooming. (OK, there is snow predicted 3 times in the next week, but as I said, I'm dreaming.)

These sweet jonquils and their rock friends are from our Muscatine yard (I would expect that the flowers will have multiplied over the last year since they were new last spring).  In a way, gardening is a good metaphor for my life these days - I'm taking stock of "soil conditions and amount of sun" and planning toward maximizing what we've been given here both in our yard and in our lives. I love spring and the excitement & beauty of new growth. Same goes for the potential as The Master Gardener does some digging and planting in us.

So Wonderful!

Had a truly amazing weekend during which I was able to connect with most of my siblings, my parents, and Pete, Amy & Emily. All on dry roads and on-time flights. :) The big event was a surprise birthday party for my youngest brother, Jerry, whose head-on-a-stick you see poking out of a fern on my buffet. (Had way too much fun with those!)

The greatest surprise, however, was my discovery that although I dearly love all of these Iowa-based people, I was eager to return "home" to Tennessee and Bruce.  Total shock to me. I didn't expect to wake up Sunday morning with the thrill that I was going home. (Had nothing to do with the fact that I spent Friday night on my brother's couch and Saturday night on my parents' couch.) I'm grateful for the transitioning of my heart.

Looked out the window this morning and discovered several mourning doves, a flicker, a chickadee and a pair of cardinals poking around in the back yard. First time I've seen such an assortment - usually it's just been the undesirable and numerous robins. The chickadee and female cardinal were within four feet of me, both having landed on the teak furniture on the patio. Ah, another gift!