March 19: Spring Sprang Sprung

 

I know it's not yet Spring, but there was another sign of the changing season today.  I was working with the potted plants on the patio when the propane gas truck rumbled up the drive.  I spoke to Rusty for a few moments and then he went off to check the tank.  He came back and said, "Y'all are fine for now.  See you in September!"   Officially, winter is over, when we no longer need to keep putting propane in our tank.  I always look forward to this moment each year, just as I look forward to the last week of September when Rusty rumbles his truck up the hill once more.  

I contemplated the nearly empty front porch this morning and the very overcrowded patio.  There's no point in thinking anything from the patio can go to the porch.  For one thing, the plants wouldn't get nearly enough sun and its mostly planters that crowd the patio.  Second, the patio table won't fit the porch at all.  I've no idea what to do with that table.  Truly it's too big for the patio as well.  I'd like to keep the chairs and add them to the front porch seating, but I think I might want a bench or something that takes up less space than the big round metal table.

But the point of this is that I was outdoors working.  It felt good to get my hands down in the dirt.  I spent an hour or so clipping away dead growth, pulling weeds, and moving a few stragglers from one pot to another that could use fillers.   I stood there admiring what's growing and reminded myself that I need to plant MORE perennials in pots this year because they do so well at giving each year.  I just enjoyed the whole task.  It felt very rewarding to see the pots looking so much neater.   

I worked only an hour out there, and there's more than enough work left to fill two more hours.  It made me feel the siren call of the garden center, for sure!  New plants, seeds, possibilities...It's Spring!

When I'd rested from my outdoor exertions, I went into the kitchen determined to spend an hour and I did it with some minutes over.  Today was meal prep day of sorts.  I chopped and shredded vegetables to go into that Chipotle Southwestern Bean Soup I'd decided I'd make.  I boiled the chicken frame and odd bits of bone and skin.  I cooked bacon and warmed chicken to go into a salad (not on the menu) for our lunch today.  I need to go pick meat off those bones now and set it aside for one of our other planned meals  

Katie just called and is coming out and invited herself to supper at the same time.  Good thing there is lots of soup!  I may go add some broth to the pan since she likes a brothy bowl of soup anyway.

Two... three other things.  Sam texted me this morning that he'd registered the boys for summer camp at our church again this year.  It seems that in thinking back over their summer last year they wanted to attend again this year.  I think that's awesome.  I know they had a lot going on last year and they were overwhelmed with a lot of different things.  I'm glad that in hindsight this stood out as something fun.

My new curtains arrived for the guest bedroom.  I shall have to go move them since Caleb will be playing back there in a few moments.  I took a photo.  My camera does not take pictures true to color at all.  I wish I had a better camera.  I miss photographing things.  I can't call myself a photographer but in the 2010 era I really enjoyed having a point and shoot digital camera to play with and used to have my own calendar printed each year with the photos I'd used on the blog.  

Back to the curtains.  The check on the duvet cover looks brown/tan.  It's not.  It's a green but a brownish green, that sort of woody green.  It perfectly matches the green in the curtains.

And finally, on Sunday at Katie's I happened to glance out the front door and see a flash of blue.  I knew immediately it was a Bluebird or Eastern Blue Robin which happens to be my favorite bird.  I feel such a surge of joy every time I see that bright blue!   

Cody very sweetly ran to the door and managed to get several really good pictures of him.

I had one more thing to share, sort of a bonus, but it's slipped my mind, so you're in luck.  I need to end here and get busy before the kids arrive.

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