Retired Ramblings
I remember having lots of fun with my classmates at recess playing Mother, May I. This May with the crazy weather I’m playing Mother Nature, May I.
Some of my questions to Mother Nature….
May I go out without a sweatshirt?
May I go out without an umbrella?
May I see the sun?
May I have peaches on my peach tree?
May I walk in the backyard without getting Lyme disease?
May I see blooms on my hydrangeas this year?
Only one blossom on this dogwood tree…I’m sure she will have more surprises for me!
I have lived most of my entire life on the same street in Massachusetts. It’s a nice street, with nice houses and families but I have always wanted to move to Maine. My house was close to the schools my children went attended. It was an easy commute to my work. We had great neighbors and gardens and chickens. But I kept wishing to move to Maine. In 2000 my husband and I looked for a place up there even came close a few times to buying but always found a way to procrastinate our dreams away. But don’t feel too sorry for me because I have a “Fairy Godbrother”, he and his family have hosted us for many weekends and more. They open their hearts, and doors, and bedrooms, and table to us every time we’ve asked. Their hospitality is warm and loving. What a treat to gather at their table and telling and listening to family stories!
This past week we had one such weekend, celebrating MM’s birthday. The Grand Boys were on vacation and joined us. His children and grandchildren were able to be there too. That meant a table set for 15 after church on Sunday. What a blessing to be there with them all sharing stories and love!
Outside a massive trench was dug from the house to a sawmill. They are piping electricity and water out to the mill and garden. So after our dinner everyone was outside helping with the project. Of course digging in the dirt is like heaven to most 4-60 year old, men, boys and even the girls reveled in the dirt and mud. After lots of showers, a few loads of laundry and a good night sleep we headed home on Monday; with a head full of memories and wondering when we can go back.
Super low tide as result of full moon, made for a beautiful day at the beach. Temperature was 48 but the sun was shining and there was no wind. I thought we would collect drift wood and shells, maybe see some starfish in the tide pools but the beach was very clean and wide and long. Great for sliding down the dunes on your belly,
drawing and rock piling
Happy to see these feathered friends back…it has been awhile. I think they are eating my grapes and raspberries. I also noticed my raspberries bushes are missing lots of leaves, could it be these beauties or deer?
Speaking of raspberries my black ones were really bitter this year. The tiny red ones were delicious, popped them right off the cane into my mouth.
My rambling thoughts on Nelle Harper Lee and her books To Kill a Mockingbird (TKAM) and Go Set a Watchman (GSAW)
My fascination with Nell Harper Lee started when I read the book In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, twenty years ago. I was amazed they were childhood friends and famous writers from a small southern town. That she had written TKAM and won a Pulitzer Prize at such a young age, and then disappeared from the publishing world. I knew she lived in New York and was in with the party crowd of the flamboyant Capote. Obviously intelligent why no more books?
Recently I heard of the Marja Mills book, The Mockingbird Next Door, peaked my interest I read it as fast as I could. I discovered Lee: reads constantly, loves sports, does not watch TV or have a computer and does not like the outside world invading her private space. She has received many honorary degrees as well as countless opportunities to speak; which she no longer accepts. I came to understand the quiet southern woman’s hesitance to continue and compete with her previous unexpected success. Lee, said of her success “I hoped for a little, as I said, but I got rather a whole lot, and in some ways this was just about as frightening as the quick, merciful death I’d expected.”
And so she still lived in New York 5 months out of the year, returning to Alabama and her family in Monroeville. She keeps a journal and writes to her many friends, her head filled with stories just no more books. Until this year at 89 years old with her sister, trusted adviser, gone she has published Go Set a Watchman, and I; like countless others awaited its release. Placing it on hold as soon as I could. While waiting I read TKAM. enjoyed it and would like to re-see the 1963 Academy Award winning movie with Gregory Peck.
Then this week the library notified me the book was available…it was an ebook and the audio version….still I eagerly started listening. Well, I learned I’m not the listening kind of book reader, constantly falling asleep, losing my place, and starting over and over and over. Of course I had heard this was about grown Scout, and it does start off like that but there are many chapters that go back to Jem and Scout and their childhood adventures. Me… I like a book that keeps a nice neat chronological timeline and GSAW doesn’t do that. Scout weaves through her past and present often and perhaps, it was the audio version that didn’t suit my reading style. The most astonishing thing in the book is the disjointedness of Atticus, so revered in TKAM and his downfall at the end of the book. Scout wasn’t the only one upset with him…is Atticus a bigot….was he always one…perhaps I need to read GSAW with my own eyes.
Temperatures are rising I need two bottles of water for morning tennis. Our matches start at 8 and can go to 10:30, holding my own in the first two sets but this weather is not helping my 3rd set.
Came home today and filled the tub with cold water whoa that felt good.
My flowers are loving it though, will have to give the hydrangea and drink tonight, everyone else looks happy. Lots of Great Spangled Fritillaries on the cone flowers and the tansy is about to bloom. I weeded yesterday but can’t today too hot.
Look at these beautiful berries I picked this week at Spring Rain Farm in ET. They are perfect and there are lots more… check them out when it’s not raining. So I’m inside baking a strawberry rhubarb pie.
It’s raining, it’s pouring, our gardens are enjoying today’s rain.
It’s been a dry spring, this map shows just how much we need rain,
Despite the dry conditions the strawberries, asparagus and even my flowers have done well, A picture is worth a thousand words so here are my favorites.
The cold weather of April has given way to a warmer than usual May. We have enjoyed many summer-like days with lots of time for tennis. The grass and gardens are very green and as the rainfall is below average all are in need of a drink. The wind has added to the dry air and the high pollen count is the cause of many scratchy throats and itchy eyes. Although rain has sometimes threatened and cancelled a few tennis matches we really need a bit. Our May flowers like violets, irises, lilacs are all doing well. My pansy baskets are producing nicely and the one below the bird feeder is sprouting sunflowers. MM and I have enjoyed fresh asparagus regularly and I made a rhubarb sauce, to top waffles, that was very tasty…it’s always nice to eat anything so fresh and grown in your backyard.
A and I visited the Allen’s Pond Audubon Sanctuary on Monday for a bird watching morning. A had binoculars and I my camera we enjoyed a long list of sightings. The most exciting was a flock of glossy ibises, my first ever sighting and I got some nice photos. The blue sky was amazing dotted with wispy white clouds. Hoping to find out where the meadowlarks are for my next visit.
YEAH….spring is here, and although the cold weather lingers we have enjoyed the warm sun a bit. I’ve worked in the yard, planted some parsley, rosemary, heather, and dill. Also transplanted some long neglected garlic that was in a big clump, now it’s in a neat row and hopefully will produce this fall. With any luck, the rabbits and woodchucks will leave us some. Got some nice pansies and put them in pots on the deck. The peanut butter log is replaced with hummingbird feeder awaiting the arrival of our summer friends. The goldfinches have their golden coats and continue to enjoy the sunflower seed. They look very nice with the pansies just below. Daffodils and primroses are out and the tulips will soon follow.
Big news…. the nine-month journey from broken wrist to normalcy has met another milestone. I no longer have the pins holding the ligament keeping my ulna and radius together. My second surgery was done earlier this month and just this week had my final visit with my orthopedic surgeon. Happy to report I’m all healed, have no restrictions, and ready to get back out on the tennis court. Fun in the sun and get my body, back in shape. My ukulele will help the fingers return to smooth working machine they once were. “ Use it or Lose it” my mantra for the rest of the year!
Very grateful for all those responsible for my care: doctors, nurses, and therapists even the ambulance drivers. To my family and friends, all your get-well wishes, dinners, and rides helped so much.
Ahhhh the temperature reached 60 yesterday; today the thermometer reads 39 but it feels much warmer lots of snow still but it’s….. melting. I moved the car a little too close to the lawn and made a giant rut, which I just raked over but mud season has arrived. It’s OK because I’m still wearing my LLBean ducks. All my snow pictures away spring and bird pictures in their place.
My little tin garden chickens, poor things…..I never leave them outside and this year I did…the snow and ice gave them a pounding. I hope they can recover with minimal repairs.
Just finished some spring cleaning: windows, dusting, vacuuming and picked up my draft dodgers. Thought about lowering the thermostat but I don’t want to get too carried away. I say now more snow until November What do you think?
I channeling my inner Mother Nature hoping for more warm spring sun shiny days.
My ukulele had to go back for repairs so it looks like I can catch up on painting.
Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.Ben Eastaugh and Chris Sternal-Johnson.
