So spring is finally arriving ... we think. There were dire warnings of a hard frost last night and I think Saranac Lake got down to 32 but it looks like my just-appearing plants in my garden are okay. Tomorrow it should be in the 70s, more like it should be at this time of year. Then Thursday it's supposed to be "high 80s." Go figure.
We're really behind in our house/garden chores this year. Right after I got back from Wisconsin we left for 5 days in Texas. That was a terrific trip--hot, sunny, mega pool time for me at Lana's ranch. It actually is the Davis Daisy Rodeo Ranch but I like to call it DaLana Ranch, for Laura being near Davis. It's really a gorgeous place, as are her 7 horses. Wow. We had a great time. I took photos and will eventually arrange them into a sort of walk-around. Let me know if you want to see them; I won't inflict them on everyone!
Stan & I are recovering from a horrible cold we picked up down south. He found out today he has acute bronchitis from it; I'm luckier and seem to be getting over it just fine. But we were really wiped out with it, especially the end of last week. On Saturday my voice went lower than it has EVER been. I really did sound like a man. At least that didn't hurt! But not being able to do much before feeling just exhausted meant that my garden is still not completely mulched. At least I got all the oak leaves off it, finally.
I'm working my fanny off on my book right now. I have that talk to give at the end of next week -- and I've lost all my materials for it. They were on the floor in my den and my darling husband asked if the papers he found on the floor should go into the burn barrell with my wastepaper and I said sure, after just glancing at them. Well, so much for planning ahead. Thank heavens I had put together a preliminary PowerPoint program so I can work from there. I hope I can remember what I was thinking when I did those slides...... I'll be glad when that's over!
And I can't let a spring note go without a nature note. Today on my walk I saw one of the funniest things I've ever seen in "the wild." I'd heard a noise like someone banging on a lawn mower for a little while when walking and I did hear a mower around the same time. But then the mower stopped and the banging went on for a bit and I was getting closer to the sound. I looked around and saw a Downy woodpecker (they're only about 6" long) pecking at the back of a metal road sign! It was clinging to the perforated post the sign was on and banging away on the sign. When I got right up to it, it stopped and looked at me as if it were saying, "What! What?!" And then after I was safely past it started whanging on the sign again. It was looking for ... what? steel ants? (I mean, there are grease ants and sugar ants and fire ants and pis* ants--really they're called that at least in Iowa, so can't there be steel ants?) It really was funny. Then again, I'm easily amused.
So I'm posting a picture of spring. I cut this bunch of lilacs and they're currently scenting up the whole house. Yum.
Happy spring.
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