overdue

Overdue books from the library? No, not that. It's been a while since I have had those. I'm overdue with life! The everyday stuff. The roses in Millie's fenced yard need to be watered. The old cameras hanging around in the basement need to be sold. Compost needs a trip to the farmette. Overdue with clearing out the rest of the farmette possessions -- all to be sold or given away. Overdue with testing the water (is the softener doing it's job? I'm not sure..). 

And what do I do about it? Well, breakfast on the porch is very long...

(we have a repeat visitor in the mornings: a hummingbird that just loves the porch flowers)

 

 

Then Millie and I go inside and I take my book to the reading nook and within minutes I doze off. For a good hour.Mybe more...

And now I have to think in terms of priorities again. Roses first (while Millie plays in the yard).

Next? A trip to my daughter's garage sale (it's going well!! lots of kid stuff! cheap!). I say hi to Sparrow at his lemonade stand and pick up Snowdrop, to bring to Steffi's House, with a stop over at Tati's for a lunch date with Ed. I get coffee, she gets Boba, Ed gets lunch, Millie gets a pup cup.

 

 

 

 

 

Snowdrop rests and reads at my place and I make up some pasta for her real lunch...

 

 

 

It's a relaxed afternoon, deliberately so (she tells me she was up until 2 on a sleepover last night and she has a Shakespeare show this evening -- hence the black clothes, which are standard tech crew garb). And as she takes it easy, I water some of the side garden roses. They're overdue for a soak.

I do a lot of rose analysis before and after Snowdrop leaves. There'll be adjustments to make. Maybe this year, maybe next. Some roses need to be moved. Some will go in places that right now are sporting other blooms. I stock of my non-rosy flowers as well.

 

 

 

Moving things around now sets the stage for a good spring. Gardens are never "done." The work and planning and redoing and improving is ongoing. Is it a compulsion? Yes of course. But one that brings calm to the soul and a great deal of satisfaction. This morning, for example, I was sitting out with my breakfast and my Millie when a jogger passes by. She pauses and says -- your garden is so beautiful! 

I really do not look for compliments. They make me squirm and blush. But her words sent a message to me. One that I loved. My flowers are bringing enjoyment, to random strangers, in the way that flowers often bring enjoyment to people who happen to find themselves very close to a flower field. I mumbled a thank you, but what I should have said was -- I am so so glad you felt a spark of joy passing by the garden! It makes me happy to know that. Considering the rather somber Zoom call I was on late into the night concerning the state of health of my friend, I'd say that this brief morning exchange about flowers was a high point in my day. That and watching Snowdrop give Ed a hug. Ed is not easy to hug.

 

 

 

with so much love...