Monday

A people day: morning with friends, afternoon with Snowdrop. Evening with Ed, though that shouldn't count -- we can go a long time without provocative conversation!

A quick morning walk, a bowl of fruit, cut up for later.

And a rush to a coffee shop to have coffee with my friend who flew into town for a few days. I wish I could say that we were completely silly and inconsequential in our time together. But, being good friends, indeed, great friends, sometimes requires something more. So we shared that something more -- the issues facing her, facing me. You know, the usual stuff that needs a review and sometimes input (but mostly a lot of good listening).

And from downtown Madison, I hurry back home, so that I can connect with Warsaw (on Zoom).

This, too, cannot be lighthearted. I caught the short-lived breezy cheesy moment here:

 

Fact is, it's just not a time in history where you can brush aside the events of the day and plunge into the inconsequential. We review what's happening in the Ukraine, and importantly, what is happening in Russia. None of it is good. And still, it needs to be talked about, if only for the shared experience of comparing stories, readings, our understanding of this moment in time.

After a couple of hours, I have to take off, almost in midsentence. Even though Monday is typically not a Snowdrop day, this week is different and so the little girl comes home with me after school.

Seeing the flowers outside reminds her of Giverny and, too, paintings of flowers, because she has me reading a book about Impressionism.

 

 

 

I wish we were going to Paris again -- she tells me. I ask her -- what is it about Paris that draws you to it? I'm wondering -- is the art? The parks? The baguettes?

Oh, I so want to go back to the amusement park there!

She is a seven year old, that's for sure.

 

After this unusually peopled day (it's cold outside -- no garden work today or for the next handful of days), Ed and I settle into our evening quiet. We're finishing up a series that has been exceptionally pleasant to watch. Ed found the shows on Tubi and they're called The House that 100 k Built.  We're back in the UK and this time we watch people with limited funds (always less than 100 000 pounds) build houses of their dreams. We love it for its simplicity and clever use of materials. Small, uncomplicated, but, too, unique and eye catching. And always well suited to the landscape. 

And outside, the winds howl and the temperatures once again dip below freezing. All annuals are carried into our kitchen. We're waiting out this period of spring cold together! Strength in numbers!

With love...