Spring In Utah

I know spring is a transitional season.  But this year just already feels so strange.  We still have a couple blankets on our bed so we can sleep with the windows open a bit. Yesterday morning I was up early scurrying around closing windows so the rain from a sudden downpour didn't get in.  The rain made everything smell so fresh and clean.  One minute it's almost hot out and the next little while I'm pulling on a sweater. At least it isn't boring.

Saturday was planting day.  Yes, it's not quite Mother's Day the oft-spoken deadline for planting freeze-fragile plants around here.  But we did it anyway.  Mother's Day is soon enough that I think we'll be ok and we're prepared to put plastic tarps around just in case it does get cold.  We're trying some cauliflower this year.  And once again will attempt to grow some canteloupe.  Where we bought the starts didn't have any watermelon.  We've failed at that every time as well.  There's so much wind here those tiny little stems just get shredded.  And instead of geraniums which have been beautiful in the past, we're trying some mums with cosmos mixed in for the front flower bed.  The garden center (it's a new one we're trying) felt kind of expensive.  And they didn't have a ton.  So we'll likely make a run down to Cook's for some more if they have them.  Geraniums seem to be the annual of choice, but I'm ready for yellow this year.  I guess I need something happy looking.

I wasn't going to go for a walk yesterday.  That was my (flexible) pronouncement.  Now that the weather is warmer and people have no where else to go (except for the parks scattered throughout the state where they're over-run and super crowded) our trails on the weekends (the ones I like to frequent) are mostly a constant game of dodge-em.  I wasn't going out with all those people.  I don't want to breathe in their exhalations, which seems impossible to avoid since I'm a bit shorter than most of them.  Yesterday there was a large family riding their Ninebot Electric Scooters (around $600 apiece) who were completely oblivious to their impact on others also trying to enjoy the trails.  So, yeah, I wasn't going.  But around 6 or so I was restless and needed to move a little.  We decided to walk our paper recycling over to the middle school drop-off bins.  After our chat with the neighbors and leaving our paper in the designated bins, we did have somewhat of a dicey walk home.  It just feels crowded - and more crowded - to me.  All this staying at home has me more and more in the "quiet, calm and peaceful" attitude.  I like it this way.  The trails teeming with outdoor voices and behavior is almost too much.

But the ducks were quiet.  They found a spot of shade in our front yard and settled in pretty well. 

And the Hawthorne tree is beautiful!!  Friday afternoon it was just covered with tiny bud-balls.  Nothing had bloomed yet.  By Saturday morning the tree was just covered with the flowers that I love so much.  It's so cheerful looking one can't help smiling at it.  I know they're a messy tree (which I know now but didn't when we planted it) but for my soul it is well worth it. 

I love this tree.

And we've done another drive-through.  Burgers and fries that satisfied our yearning for something different were still mostly warm by the time we sat at the kitchen table.  We simply don't enjoy eating in the car.  I've been tempted to take a couple of our small trays out to the car to see if that's better.  But perhaps we'll continue to drive home or to a less-busy park, that seems to be our preference.

Saturday after we dropped off the masks we had sewn for the service project (our Church surely does know how to organize things, they make it easy to volunteer) we porch visited with a couple friends from our previous neighborhood.  I took her a few books to bridge the gap between now and the library re-opening.  Then later on after our burgers and fries, we wandered over to our friends and had a patio visit.  Such good for my soul.  Even two of their adult daughters came outside to chat with us and that was also nice.  Made me feel slightly valued.

So today, I'm finding peace and gratitude.  Gratitude for the ability to have church in our home.  Gratitude for good health for us and our loved ones.  We don't personally know anyone that has the dreaded and dreadful coronavirus.  I'd like to keep it that way and hope for that.  I'm so grateful for spring and the return of the lilacs.  Makes for interesting walks:  walk a bit, stop and smell, and smell some more, walk a bit more then stop and smell and smell some more.  Repeat as much as possible.  The Husband is so patient with me when I stop at every bush.  I'm grateful for him and his seemingly endless tolerance of me and my foibles. I'm grateful for hope that something we've planted in the gardens will grow and hope in Heavenly Father's plan.  I hope I can learn what I need to throughout all this crazy.