Spring's Early Golden Glory

Yesterday evening, I finally got around to putting the two forsythias into the ground. 

"Spring’s early golden blaze:  Forsythia heralds spring, delicately, goldenly, faithfully. Its stems, golden rayed with profuse sunny flowers, spring upwards from the ground."
We placed them on either side of the gate leading into the orchard. They get rather large and I think it will be eye catching when they grow a little and bloom next year.

It was quite the chore because we went all out – loading the garden wagon with a bag of garden soil, a bag of mulch, shovel, rake and Stihl and tiller attachment (quite the handy dandy tool, I must say!) and trekked out there instead of just digging a hole and plopping them in the ground. 

I think the most challenging task was connecting and dragging 250 ft of garden hose to the nearest water spigot (Is it terrible that I *just* figured out that it is “spigot” not “spicket”… couldn’t tell, growing up in North Carolina!) without kinks!

There was an episode with the hose where one twin couldn’t resist spraying the other, much to the indignation of the spray-ee and the delight of the spray-er –-- oh the joys of parent-hood!   



The layout of our property

Last night was my first night in the house without Kevin. (I think I did just fine, but don’t tell him!  I HATE when he has to travel. I mean hate, hatey hate hate! Don’t know that I’ll ever “grow out of” being a big baby about that part of his job.) No scares though… I was sleeping like a rock until my obnoxious alarm startled me awake.  I have this tone called “The Secret Forest” that is supposed to be soothing… it is *supposed* to wake you up gently, starting out gradually, increasing in volume, bringing you gently out of slumber. Soothing… it is NOT!However, after being awakened, I was delighted to hear my wind chime tones floating across the breeze! 

Before I went to bed, I nearly stepped on a field mouse in my bathroom… barefoot!  It seems there is gappage (is that a word?) around the plumbing of the claw foot tube.  Someone previously stuffed steel wool around it, but it has come loose.  We will have to fix that soon!  There was a time when I would have screamed and jumped up onto the nearest and highest thing available…  Instead, I chased it back down its’ hole then, while congratulating myself on not screaming and waking the kids, I debated momentarily, not sure which was the lesser of two evils:  Stepping on a mouse if I got up at night, or waking to the sound of one being trapped!  Then, I surrounded the area with mouse traps… just in case. 

On another note, I’ve been promoted to head nurse since our move… I’m not sure it’s the best role for me; my stomach does flip flops when I look at an injury, especially on one of the kids. (I helped make and GROW that body they’re in!  I don’t want it injured or in pain!)  More splinters and boo-boos and scrapes than typical… Currently taking inventory and restocking to make a very loaded first aid kit, but with the hope that we don’t have to use it often!

Sign-ups for football are today. After much debate, we are just going to put Luke in football this year.  I really wanted to let Elijah play 1^st Grade Tackle, and Eliana participate in Cheer, but the schedule it just isn’t feasible.  This is our year to settle in, renovate, and get familiar with the community.  The little ones will have to content themselves with having a pool for entertainment this year.  Not a bad consolation prize, eh?!   Next year we will plan for it, plus their father and step-mom should be living closer by then and able to help with the running a little... maybe…  This year instead of looking on it as a burden, I will take three nights of practice per week and one game on the weekend for 10-14 weeks and be grateful that is ALL, appreciating the reprieve.  It’s all about perspective!

Till next time ~ d