April Showers

 

 

                                                         tulip teacups wave

                                                in strong wind waiting to fill

                                                      with rainwater nectar

 

We are truly into April now and you remember "April Showers Bring May Flowers".

 

The air is somewhat chilly, but it is the gun barrel gray skies that are hard to bear. There has been rain too and more is scheduled to come. Our week is loaded with doctor appointments so it hard to find something joyous to focus on.

 

I went to the pharmacy for DH refills--that no doctor has still renewed yet! Nearby was a Lowe's store that was loaded with fresh flowers. Yes, I know too early and I am in not much shape to tote flowers. But like visiting a museum, I wanted to meander through and soak up the sights.

 

Beautiful petunias were half off and so were some tulips. The petunias can take the yo-yoing of the temperatures. I felt we needed some bright sight on the deck even if we only saw it from the kitchen as we looked out the glass with noses pressed there looking for sun!

 

 

Meanwhile I am having fun with Jan Morrill's haiku! Her first one was for spring and today's was asking for color. Tomorrow---dogs.  Check it out and have a good week!

 

https://haikubyhaiku.wordpress.com/2017/04/02/national-poetry-month-haiku-contest-day-2-colors/#comment-1554

 

 

 

 

More Kindness

It is as chilly as winter today and a slow drizzly rain that is reminiscent of beginning snow has fallen all day. The damp chill seems to sink into my bones like honey into warm cornbread! Even Biscuit doesn’t want out, but curls up on our bed trying to wait for a sunnier day.

Last night we went to ER again and this time DH got some temporary relief which some mental relief for me. I never do well in the month of March as S.A.D. wipes me out. This year with cancer and hubby and family issues and the sorrowful state of our country, well, life in general, I was holding my own until yesterday. Then worry about hubby broke me down. I called ER and got a truly kind charge nurse who said, “Bring him in. I can help him.” She did and then the PA, also a kind woman, did blood work that should have been done long before. They gave him pain meds and enough relief until we can see a doctor on Monday. I think we are in for another big life change here. Doesn’t feel fair that our Golden Years are so tarnished! But I am grateful for kindness of these women.

Another strange incident in kindness happened this morning when I went to grocery store. I did not use the riding cart but got myself through the store walking, a feat for me these days. A man smiled at me in line and when I got my stuff to the car, he too had checked out and was parked next to me. He started talking to me about how unkind some people are these days and how a lady in the store made him feel bad. Did I ever have that happen? Ah, yes, and I wondered in the cold drizzle what kind of a come on this was. I said people are upset in general and maybe she had bad day before the store. He said the woman had ruined his day until a kind woman talked to him in the parking lot, thanked me, and wished me a good day ahead. Strange. But I said a little prayer asking God to never let me forget what a kind word does for people, no matter how depressed or sick I get.

 

So, March is ending now, and I have always like April because it is National Poetry Month. This afternoon Jan Morrill put up a Haiku challenge on her blog page. Oh, what fun this sounds like! I have struggled with haiku as I try to follow the rules and then have had editors correct me, saying I adhere too closely to rules. Hum, I never know what to do. But this is 30 days with new topic for every April day. Surely, I can write a few 17 syllable poems for her page! I have not been able to write at all, but this just might help get the brain working again. I suggest you check her page out at https://haikubyhaiku.wordpress.com/2017/03/30/celebrate-national-poetry-month/

I hope to see your own lines there during April!!!!

 

Clip art from http://www.bing.com/

In the Pink?

Friday night was another difficult night and then in the wee hours of morning a storm with lots of thunder moved through. Biscuit doesn’t like thunder, but she was a trooper and remained quiet in her crate. The whole house waited for storm to be over and that made the coming day even more tiresome.

But I wanted to do something to take my mind off all the difficulties in life. I was tired of sitting and straightened a few things around here. I made a new casserole for lunch and stirred up cookies for the first time in over a year. Oh, folks have brought us cakes and cookies, but we have been trying to leave them alone for health reasons. Ah, yesterday was a big fail because I wanted some of my own chocolate chip cookies. I just use the Toll House recipe, but I use three different kinds of chocolate chips.

Then I changed table top again. I might not be able to climb and clean corners and sweeping floor is often beyond me, but I can change a table cloth and feel like I am in control of some part of my own wonky life! I chose pink, a color I rarely use and it feels like Easter and spring and light and airy! When I was four years old, I loved pink, wanted everything pink. My mom hated pink and loved red. It was a squabble every time I dressed, but I guess I got my fill of pink in the end. Nice to see it again though now.

 

 

 

In the afternoon, I read a book which is also difficult some of these days. I finished A Piece of Time by Christina Kline, and I really enjoyed the book. It is story built around Wyeth’s painting titled “Christina’s World”. I’ve always liked the painting, and my mother-in-law had a print of the painting hanging in her house for years. I recommend the story even if you are not familiar with Wyeth or the painting. I think I will sample more of this author when I can.

                                               Christina's World by A. Wyeth

The day ended and night was better for me; DH still had issues, but I was so tired (and cookie full) that I slept. Now the Sunday morning is bright with sunshine despite more storms coming. I hope to get out on the deck this afternoon to soak up sunshine while I can. March is ending this week, and I hope it takes all the darkness with it—well, as much as it can. Let April bring some lightness and cheer.

Happy Sunday to you!

KINDNESS!

In a world that seems to have gone amok, there is still joy, color, sunshine, and kindness, and yes, weeds too!

 

                                                    from Susan

DH has been sick for three weeks. Still no answers but some meds finally this week that are helping. It has been a little hard to keep that “stiff upper lip” around here! But today it is 75 and windows open which is delightful. I refuse to worry today about the severe storms, hail and wind forecast for tomorrow!

                                                from Kim

 This morning I went to the post office which is a challenge as so many steps or a long walk up handicapped ramps. I was carrying a couple of large and one heavy box. A man was there before I started and climbed the steps and stood. By the time I got to the doors, I realized he had been waiting on me from the beginning just to open the door. He told me the inside door was already open so I did not need to wait for him to open for me. I thanked him but was amazed to realize how much he put himself out for me. It feels good to see kindness.

 

                                                    from Dennis and Kathy

 Of course, the kindness of others has carried me a long way thus far this year. I constantly am on the receiving end of kindness from others, from many readers here.  I have posted pictures of things before, but here are more of things where people went out of their way to think of me.

 

                                               from Linda and the Lawrences

 Thanks again! I try to pay it forward and hope to have many opportunities to do it a lot longer!

                                                       from Lynn

So Grateful for Blogger Pals!

It has been a month since I wrote a blog page, a long and very hard month. While I miss blogging so much, I also have nothing to write about since all my news lately has been bad or negative. I work so hard to find something good to say, something fun to share. Today I had DH at ER among other things, but then I came home to the national news. I just wanted to put my head down on my desk and cry. Don’t worry, I won’t get all political on you.
 

Today I had to leave the ER exam room to go to the bathroom. Sounds simple, right? Well, I was geared up in a mask and worried about germs, but when I came out of the hall bathroom, I was lost! The doorways all looked alike! I thought surely I could do this. I chose a door and I got it wrong! Quickly, I shut it and was more confused than ever. Every single door looked exactly the same. So I wove myself back out to the admissions desk and told them I was lost, couldn’t find my hubby. They smiled at this crazy lady, gave me a number and I headed back to try again.

DH laughed his head off. Said what was happening to us-other than getting old! We are doing more and more of this kind of thing. So at least we haven’t lost the ability to laugh at ourselves.

A few weeks ago, a woman in Arizona found an old post where I wrote about Jerico Springs, Missouri. Her family came from there years ago, and we started exchanging emails and information. I helped her with some numbers to local historical society offices and sent her some printed history materials. Although we can’t find the exact link, we suspect that we share a far-out branch on a family tree. She sent me these lovely tulips this week, in a week of dark days and cold weather. The tulips were like a kiss of sunshine. They are so beautiful. And to think, we connected because of blogging!

Notes and thoughts and prayers continue to come my way and many from bloggers I will never see face to face. I continue to be grateful for each of you blogger friends! So, while I have nothing much to share or any writing to discuss, I want to say once more I am glad you are out there.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from one whose people were once Irish immigrants!

Color in Our Lives

 

The day has been positively gorgeous for February. The yellow of the bright sun energizes folks especially in February! Color is important to us and gray clouds can make us lethargic. Color everywhere, even the ones we choose to wear, shapes us, moves us, causes us to feel warmth, anger, comfort, sadness, and more.

When I was in high school, I did not have an abundance of clothing. I learned real fast that black and earth tones were slimming, versatile, classic, and did not call attention to yourself if you were in a class you hated and where you wanted to fade into the woodwork.

But when I married and moved into the St. Louis suburbs, I met a woman who introduced me to color. It was the years of green and orange which already made a statement in homes. Donna had left school after the 8^th grade, and then she taught herself to play the organ for church and to paint beautiful floral pictures. She had a smile that could light up a city block, and she loved color. She was the one who dragged me away from black and showed me the joys of color in clothing and in the home.

I love the richness of hardwoods like oak and cherry in my home. I love turquoise. I like blue and white. I no longer stand back from splashes of color like dashes of red, a kiss of purple, or even oranges and yellows. I say that I play house with my dining room table because I have been too sick to host guests, to hold dinners, or present teas. Still on the good days I change the table setting to make me feel good.

 

This month I chose turquoise placemats and plates with orangey pink backgrounds that remind me of the Southwest. The poppies were from the Santa Fe square the year every store was showing poppies. Then a quick stop at a store last week and a glance caught the sight of turquoise stems. Ah, the table colors take me back to the Southwest as I pass it each day.

 

 

Meanwhile, I finally got the Christmas tea pot and cups put away along with the last poinsettias. I still felt it too early for Easter, but the warm weather here did remind me of spring. Yellow silks of forsythia and jonquils and tulips came out of the closet and made me feel bright as I could be. Then around the street corner I saw real crocus popping out all over the ground. Ah, their light shades of lavender were soft and full of promise.

Do you have a favorite color to wear or decorate with?

 

 

A Very Mini Road Trip!

 

 

Despite the very mild weather thus far this winter, the days have been very hard for us at this house. My chemo has been so bad while my father-in-law died, his children are being nasty over estate, DH and I had to clean out the assisted living, we wrangle still with insurance over December fender bender, worry about our other family members, and well, I think you get the idea. Then last night I learned my Grand dog has incurable cancer. It seems unfair that my hardworking son faces cancer with both his dog and his mother. For someone who does not like to whine, I sure did a lot, didn’t I?

 

 

On Monday I had to do the week after blood cell check. The air was warm, but skies were as gray as a gun barrel. Blood labs were easy and cells were up for change. The office was shorthanded so it took longer, but when we came out, we did not want to come home. We had nowhere to go, nothing to do, did not feel great, but we just did not want to return to thinking of all our problems. So, we drove down I-44 a ways.

 

West is where we head in our hearts always it seems. We remembered past trips using this strip of highway to head to Santa Fe. We recalled the thrill of this highway in beginning our trips. Of course, this beginning strip of pavement brings back an era of my childhood memories as well. The winter landscape was bleak, but we worked hard at finding something promising. Occasionally we saw the hint of green coming in the winter wheat popping through. Hawks rested on fence poles; cattle lingered in dry pastures, some with calves.

 

 

We only drove about 40 miles or so, but that took us to the Glass House! Over 50 years ago, the state of Oklahoma closed in a bridge over their turnpike and made it a place to eat. This was unique an architectural feat for the times. My grandma brought me a post card from her visit and my child’s eye longed to be see it in person. Later a McDonalds and nice gift shop was put in, but the place got a little shabby. Two years ago, it was redone and is now part of a truck plaza. Very clean and neat inside, it is simple but impressive to the child still inside of me. We stopped and ate a wonderful hamburger from the McDonalds while watching raging semi’s roar beneath our feet.

 

 

Then we turned around and headed home, but we used secondary roads, moseying along slowly postponing arrival back home. We did stop in Vinita (another childhood memory) to look around a flea market. It turned out to be an amazing place as the owner had tons of Blue Willow with some very old and unique pieces. She came down in price but still I didn’t buy. I told her if I could beat this cancer I would come back and buy a celebratory piece! She also had battled cancer twice.

From there, we had to come home. I was pretty done in and even DH was tiring. It doesn’t take much right now to wear us down. OH, but we had a little escape! For just a short while we could pretend that the world was all okay and that we were fine in it. Alas, when we walked in backdoor the answering machine was beeping, phone ringing, and email dinging. It brought us back from the past real fast.