winter in the canyon

winter in the canyon

metamorphosis

Here it is almost June and this weekend our little town is expecting snow. That is so rude for all of us gardeners. At the same time it may keep me from spending money more foolishly as I have in the past. Each year I set a budget and each year I exceed the budget by at least double for my garden.
I sat around stewing about the weather this past weekend and decided that I had better re-invent myself at least one more time and get out before I am officially assigned the name of recluse. I do tend to relish my weekends and rarely leave the house which is not really that good for me. In light of that, after work on Friday I went to the Senior Center to see what was up and get a schedule of events. They were happy to see me and gave me the schedule which included the daily lunch fare. Friday night they had a bluegrass group live and the tab was two dollars! Of course I signed up immediately. I had an enormously good time, met some people, got the CD and had all of the musicians sign it. Saturday, invigorated by my bold move the night before, I got up, showered and dressed and went to yet another event at a local church. On the way there I stopped by the home of a friend who had as yet not given up on my lack of social skills. Good thing I stopped by as she was severely depressed and needed some cheering. E. was given the news that her neck had deteriorating bones and would only find out this week what could be done about it. To add icing to the cake her older brother was diagnosed with prostrate cancer. I was sure glad I decided to stop by unexpectedly.
The church people were trying to raise funds by having a combo breakfast and blood pressure event. The breakfast was by donation and they had a little craft fair along with it. One of the crafts was a glass garden do-dad made of stuff we sell at garage sales like bud vases and old glass plates and punch cups. I did not need more inspiration than that so I immediately went to a local thrift store and bought the materials. I am now washing them and will soon have my little do-dad for my yard. Those things look incredibly good with the sun shining on all the facets of the glass patterns. I will post a picture when finished.
Sunday turned out to be sunny and nice so the fur people and I set abut getting cuttings from the geraniums which over wintered and various other little chores in the garden. By mid afternoon I was aches and pains from stem to stern and very happy. Just the aches from using my ill used muscles for gardening brought back happy memories from the past seasons of plant care.
Yesterday I went to the Senior Center yet again for a Tai Chi class. The class was a forty minute event and I lasted only twenty but am determined to go again on Friday. I feel as if I am emerging from a cocoon and about to spread my wings.

treachery

The wind in Idaho is fierce this week, last week, and looks like next week too. I let Sparky/Dudley out for his morning constitutional in the back yard because it was so cold and windy I did not look forward to a walk. After waiting longer than usual I went to the back of the property to see what was keeping him. There I stood looking at what remained of the back gate to my garden and no cute little pooch. I managed to open what was left of the gate hoping my neighbors would not be too harsh upon seeing me in my jammies and robe frantically calling for my dog. Relief flooded over me as I saw (to my astonishment) my little man running as fast as he could toward our house. What a good little guy! Now I have to secure that gate until I can get some repairs done on Monday or so.
I have been thinking about the front of the house and the surprise bulbs, tulips and grape hyacinth, which come cropping up each year. I did not plant them and five years ago when I bought the house they were not there. Each year a few little things came up and I had always thought that the neighborhood squirrels planted them there because the placements were so random. I now have another theory. I think that the previous owner of the home must have dug up all the precious bulbs she could and absconded with them leaving only a few little insignificant bulbs in the ground. I think over this five year period they must have matured and are now in magnificent display. I wish I could tell that woman that her treachery only worked to some extent and that nature took over and gave me her bounty. I am so happy to see the two dozen or so tulips this year and I love the random placement. I have never been a linear gardener, I like the look of a wild/native meadow.
I will today, despite this horrid arctic wind suit up and go forth into the garden. The sun is shining so it won't be horrible. I will just have to wear my woolly hat and a heavy coat. Nothing stops a determined gardener.
At the refugee center we have already received some little plants of vegetables and some tools. It is unfortunate that we can't plant them for three weeks or so because it is just too cold. We are now looking for a good place to store our bounty of little plants so they will survive and do well when we are able to plant them outdoors. Among the usual veggies like tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers we are blessed to have some heirloom varieties. I love to plant those because the bugs seem to like the more modern versions and leave them alone. There are also heirloom herbs! I can hardly wait!

I called D. this morning hoping that the sunny day would make her forget the significance of this day. It did not. Today is the day that T, her late husband, died six years ago at the age of fifty four. T. was a mostly happy go lucky guy. They met in high school and were married shortly after graduation. It would be difficult for anyone to get over T. because he was a rare breed of man. Almost nothing bothered him with the exception of letting go of his money LOL. He loved watching the car races and even got into a race car in Las Vegas to go around the track at over 100 mph. He also loved pottery and made some wonderful pieces, some of which I use for my still life paintings and as flower containers around the house. He also loved older women and always had a good word for them. D. liked to have a few drinks and socialize with her friends, often needing a ride home, he never complained even though he would rather stay at home and watch a movie with some popcorn. He hated any form of exercise even though D. and I tried to lure him into supposed "non exercise" activities like dancing, he never fell for it. If you wanted T. to go to any part of the world for a vacation he would go as long as it had a nude beach, seriously, the man was a part time voiyeur and smiled from ear to ear at just the thought of a nude beach. He never touched of the forbidden fruit but was eternally fascinated.
Four months before he died we went to the funeral a friend who was Jewish and therefore there was no coffin or body, just a service with happy memories, a few prayers and some music. T. said "now this is how I want my funeral to be" he was so impressed. Needless to say he got his wish to the very last and his service was attended by a few hundred people who knew and adored him, me included. The house in Las Vegas has reportedly been visited by him on occasion even by those who do not believe in the afterlife. D. and I sort of "feel" his presence and humor but have seen nothing so far. D. is now permanently living in Mesquite and her daughter C. has moved into the house with her boyfriend. The boyfriend is one who got freeked out by feeling someone was watching him when he spent time alone in the house LOL. I can only think that it is T.s way of taking care of his little girl.
I have my doubts that D. will ever have anyone else in her life, even though she has said that she would like to have a companion, there is just no substitute for a perfect match.

today

It is still raining. A nice steady gentle rain which the plants love. After my morning shift I went to the bead store to finish up a project which was laying around far too long. R. asked that I repair a broken necklace with a stone which needed to be wrapped in silver wire. The necklace had a couple of beads which were supposed to be complimentary to the mostly fuchsia stone but in my estimation were far too dull to do it justice. Consequently I went on an all out hunt until I found just the right color beads for the stone. Today the project is (thankfully) finished as well as one other she managed to slip in last week. I decide that I must gently and nicely reject all repair requests until my planting is over with. Birthdays are coming up which means some ladies will be eager to uncover whatever creation in beads I have in mind for them so I have to get that done too as there are six or so coming up. It is labor of love because I am addicted to the creative process no matter what form it takes.
I am feeling better these days. I am cautiously optimistic because the changes do not come by leaps and bounds. The changes come when I realize that I have done all the laundry, emptied the dishwasher, cleared the kitchen table of clutter, returned my calls and generally done most of the things I should in any given day. I am now taking 2,000 i.u. of vitamin D daily until my next checkup. I have also made it a point to be in the sun a few minutes when I can without sun block to better absorb natural vitamin D.
My high school chums have looked my up through classmates.com and we are planning a re-union ( 50 year ) for 2011 in August. This has to be met with more enthusiasm than brains because Chicago in August is brutally hot and humid. I plan to stay at the Hyatt hotel for the duration. You know how you plan your first few re-unions and stress about your appearance? I gave all that up. I will, of course, look my best but do not plan anything like a crash diet and exercise program or face lift LOL. I will go as is and meet the group head on. I don't know what is so exhillerating about this but it really does put me in a good mood for some reason. I am by no means wealthy or the head of a multy million dollar corporation nor have I won any major prizes for anything. Just an ordinary female going through the life the best way I know how. I guess, bottom line, I have come to peace with my life.