Sunday

You live for days like this! I mean, really, if you're not a fan of this weather, then you and I are not of the same fabric. In my view, in my world -- this is your perfect late spring day.

I'm up early. Schedule-wise, things are getting tricky. In a good way, mind you, but still, there is lots to be done.

Oh, but the rewards of viewing life in the hues of the early morning light! Even the porch looks over and beyond its normal fabulous (and yes, it was worth the quick trek to the market to pick up that bunch of flowers yesterday).






It rained last night, but I think the flowers were okay with that. Still, they need a push to open up their faces. I'm going to bet that this girl in the front bed will be my first blooming peony of the season! We'll check on her later in the day!






Whatever sniffles I had are now migrating to Ed. I told him to rest up in bed, but he hears me running the mini espresso machine downstairs and so here we are, both enjoying the perfectness of the morning.






(Dance: hey, what about me??)






(Cheepers: hey, what about us??)






I do some flower bed maintenance (always pausing to admire what's around me)...











... and then I make myself absolutely sick by working the tractor mower across areas that really do need a trim. Ed volunteered to do this for me and it is in fact his chore, but I'm feeling picky (I want it done with attention to detail!) and a little sorry for him (the sniffles), so I do it myself, regretting it for a good half hour afterwards. The bumps, twists and turns really make my stomach bump, twist and turn!

At about midday, my mom comes over.

It's rare for her to venture out here, to the farmette -- it's not a place that can easily accommodate her these days -- but a friend of hers is visiting from California and so she makes the effort and, well, here she is!






We linger for a while on the porch. True, the garden is not even in a partial bloom yet, but nonetheless, it's heavenly to look out and imagine what soon will be.

I drop the ladies off at their next destination and return to this oasis of calm and serenity. It's how you regain your strength: you sit facing the garden and listen to the farmette sounds - of birds, of the wind, of Happy's crow.

But what's this? Ed is on the roof again?
What are you doing?
Scarping paint.
Why?
It's peeling. Visibly.
But... are you going to paint it in the next day or so? I know we're to get storms again. Are we going to have a leopard spotted house for our big reception on Thursday?
I'll paint tonight... I think about his hovering sniffles. He's pushing his luck.
Do we even have enough paint?

He checks once he's done scraping. The answer is "maybe."


In the evening, the young family is here for dinner. They come after an afternoon at a local fair (this is Snowdrop's third fair this season -- she adores everything about fairs: the rides, the chance games, the foods). Look Gaga, this is what I won!
Did you whack the duck? (It's a joke -- a reference to a joke in one of her current favorites Bink and Gollie  books.)
No, but I grabbed a duck with a number of a prize! This is the prize! Not the ball -- that's from Target.






We make our way to the porch. Ed is on the roof above us. Snowdrop keeps shouting -- "Hi ahah!" Ed paints away. It really makes one smile...

Dinner. Yes, Ed's back on terra firma, though not quite within the frame of this shot.













The young family eventually leaves, Ed resumes painting.






And the peony? It opens up to the warmth of the day and blooms like crazy.