Not Quite Ordinary Observations

For Today...Monday, March 18, 2013

In the great outdoors...large puddles rimmed with yellow, explaining why Angie’s sneezing like crazy and my eyes are burning. Ah, spring.

Within our four walls...blankets going through the wash before being put away for the next seven or eight months. I’ll miss the feel of snuggling down under them.

A heart of thanksgiving...for my wonderful husband. There are still days I find it hard to believe God blessed me so incredibly.

A heart of prayer...for my mom as she takes a breath during spring break (she’s back in college for another degree!). For baby Preston, the preemie I’ve mentioned recently. He’s doing well, but still fighting lung issues which must improve before they can really attack the fluid on his brain. For those on my “in need of salvation” list. It can be easy to grow discouraged by the length and seemingly unchanging nature of that list, but then I remember names that used to be on there. That keeps me praying!

Random observations...When we worked on the grape vines a couple of weeks ago, we did some late pruning so we could redirect one of the vines. Just out of curiosity, we took the two small branches we’d pruned and stuck them into the ground in a free spot near a trellis. When I checked them this past weekend, all three – the original vine and the two sticks – were starting to bud!!! I’m so excited! The second established vine hadn’t budded yet, so I’m watching it closely. All of the apple trees are showing signs of life – even the Fuji that we thought was completely dead! Doug had reached down to bend the small trunk to see if it had any pliability to it, and it just snapped in his hand. But, one little branch protruding from near the ground just below the break seemed less brittle, so we left it. It’s hard to tell if it’s even above the graft, so it might not actually be Fuji. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens with it!

My silly children...pull up weeds and grass from around the yard (we haven’t started mowing yet, although when it dries out we’ll need to!) to make cushions and other such props for their imaginative play. Yet, weeds and grass in the grape/blueberry/strawberry patch or the Peanut Gallery or around my irises remain undistrubed. I’m not quite understanding this.

Thoughts from the kitchen...ugh. I really need to reintroduce some discipline to menu planning because I’m tired of cooking and bored with the recipes we have been eating.

On my bookshelf...I did get to read Fair is the Rose last week! Ahhhh…so good! But, haunting since I haven’t finished the story. My friend Karlyn returned the last book in the series Friday afternoon, raving about how wonderful it was. I’m being a good girl, keeping up with my work instead of diving right into it. I’m racing through my current review book (an easy ready, fortunately!), in hopes that I can finish it and squeeze in Whence Came a Prince before I have to start the next review book. Maybe squeezing in Fair is the Rose wasn’t such a wise idea after all! But it was soooooo good!

Projects...Olivia’s shrug; pj shorts for Steven; practicing my knitting; writing. Fun stuff.

Sounds of the moment...the kids playing in the next room. I’m surprised I haven’t heard exclamations about the brightness outside as the sun tries to peek out from behind the heavy clouds.

Last week we learned...or, rather, were reminded, just how fickle an Arkansas spring can be. Actually, the weather of our whole week can be summed up by what we experienced yesterday. We walked to church feeling comfortable, Steven and I in short sleeves, and the girls in sleeveless dresses with light sweaters. The walk home shortly after noon was chilly, especially for Steven and me. The walk back to church for an afternoon event at 2:00 was cold, even though we had all donned light coats – heavier than our jackets, but not quite our heavy coats. By about 3:15, we were all shedding our coats as we meandered around town, and by the time we headed back to the church about half an hour later, Angie was shoving the long sleeves she had changed into up as high on her arms as she could, I was feeling hot in my short-sleeved sweater, and Olivia got a headache from growing too warm. Our walk home last night around 7:30 was pleasant. Yep, this is March.

A favorite thing from last week...the relaxed pace. It actually felt like a rather long week, in a good way. Such a nice contrast to the recent weeks which have sped by like an express train.

The planner...school Monday through Thursday with some light independent work on Friday; lunch with the delightful Gleaners class tomorrow; my sister Alli and hopefully my mom coming for a visit Friday/Saturday.

Because visuals are fun...have I shown you the possum chandelier? I can’t remember…possum chandelier

Comments

I've seen antler chandeliers, but the possum chandelier is a new one ;D

Julie
Choate Family said…
Is Olivia really that tall?!?
She is, Joanna! I only have an inch or two on her at this point!

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