More Pictures

I've kind of been on a picture taking kick lately.  Been deleting a lot of them from my phone.  I so love the handy camera that pretty much goes everywhere with me. 

Two of those pictures are from today - the rose we saw on our walk (it smelled good, too!) and the columbine is the last one left of a whole bunch we planted years ago. It must be hardy, it still comes up in the spring.

The socks?  I forgot and left them in the dryer.  Realized last night when I heard someone in the laundry room that I'd forgotten.  This is what I found - all the socks and my yoga shirt folded neatly and ready to put away.  He is thoughtful for sure.

We meant to make a quick drive this afternoon to Little Cottonwood canyon (near where we used to live) to check out the creek and see how high it is flowing.  I'm oddly fascinated by all the rushing water.  Wherever we see it.  This year there is plenty to see.  Then yesterday I looked out the window by the sink and saw that one of the gutter guards is slipping off the gutter.  The roof guy said he'd be out to fix it today.  So we are waiting. And while waiting, wasted half an hour wandering through Instagram.  I'm going to be very careful to not get fixated - it's a black hole for my time for sure. 

We're doing ok so far without the air conditioners.  I always try to wait until June before turning them on.  It's warm in the house, but not uncomfortable.  Yet. Had the windows open the other night during some wind.  Ended up with yellow pollen all over the place.  The pine trees are apparently happy. So now, the windows are staying closed when the wind is blowing.  I'd rather the pollen stay outside.  The upside is, I think keeping the windows closed helps reduce my coughing.  The hawthorne tree by the driveway was pretty stunning this year.  For about 2 weeks.  Now the flowers are falling like snowflakes.  Any bit of breeze has them wafting far and wide, they are everywhere.  No one will be parking under that tree for the foreseeable future, regardless how enticing the shade might be.  And though the flowers didn't last, they were well worth waiting for, I love the spring around here.

I've decided I'm not the right person for cut flowers.  Years ago a neighbor was quite fond of telling everyone that her husband brought her fresh cut flowers every single week.  It was proof of his love, she believed.   I was given a lovely bouquet of flowers for Mother's Day.  I've diligently changed the water and trimmed the stems hoping to keep them lovely for longer.  And they've done well, still look pretty good. But if I'm honest with myself, they get a tiny bit annoying after a while.  All that fussing, and cluttering up the counter.  (I'm definitely a clean counter person. Clean desk person? not so much.  But clean counter for sure.) After over a week of them I'm just ready for those flowers to be gone.  But the frugal, needy part of me says, don't toss them until they're ready to go. One of these days I'll be just done with it all and they'll be out in the garbage.  And I'll feel guilty for throwing anything beautiful away.  

We both are so anxious for our beach trip this fall that we got busy this morning.  The car is rented, the linens reserved.  And prayers are sent heavenward that the weather will cooperate.  We seriously need a vacation.

Trying to be positive this afternoon about being stuck here waiting for the roofing guy.  Somehow or other I thought he'd be here at a specific time.  Guess not.  And trying also to be positive about all the commotion next door.  One of these days, maybe, it'll be done.  At least for a while. So grateful for spring and flowers, for a good night's rest, for the ability to pray for others (it does my heart good to be able to do at least that one small thing for someone else on a regular basis) and for leftovers for dinner.