PROMISES OF SPRING

The snow has melted, the ground is soggy, and the air is warm. Time to start thinking about yard clean up and plants and containers and all that good stuff. spent some time today looking through some container gardening books and then walking the yard to see what was and what is now and what might be.

Bill cut the butterfly bushes back. Just in time before they start sending out new growth. I hate cutting new growth. He also cut a couple of branches out of the Japanese Maple or maybe it's a Chinese Maple, don't know. There are still more branches that need removing but there is always another day. Then when I was carting all the branches out back to pitch over the fence, I found these lovely little green sprouts poking up through the rich brown earth.

Ah, I said to my self. And 'ah' again. How green, how tender, how young and fragile and vulnerable. And how much these dainty little creatures give me hope. Spring is coming.

THE ICE OF WINTER

It was only twenty this morning when I went out for the paper. And there is still plenty of snow. And, of course, all the water in my pretzel containers have turned to ice. Well, they have been ice for a while, because they have been on the deck for a while.

Ever since reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy, I have been super conscious about our use of water. Bill would say I am over conscientious, even obsessive. I have been known to just turn off the water when he is rinsing out the sink. And I go bananas when he rinses dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. This water conservation effort isn't new with me. I used to siphon the kid's bathwater out to the lawn. Here in the northeast we have nasty dry periods.

Since The Road this water obsession has led to the saving of water in many ways. The water run until shower temperature is reached is a considerable amount of water. The water from rinsing out the coffee pot is quite acceptable for plants as is the water from cleaning vegetables. We save it in big Utz pretzel containers. There are containers in the bathrooms, in the kitchen, wherever there are plants, and eventually the overflow makes it out to the deck. We have LOTS of jars of water. We also had a great amount of rain this fall and winter so that the containers were not emptied. So, I have jugs and jugs of water -- ice in the ones on the deck.
And a fascinating formation of ice. There is a cone of ice in the center, surrounded by ice. And I don't know which froze first the cone or what surrounds the cone. Whatever, there will be water for plants when the time comes.

THE LION OF MARCH

There was a dusting of snow when I took my seven pound shih tzu, Gabriel, for his last walk of the day. As is my current custom, I then settled into bed to read for a bit. The dragon novel that I have been enjoying just wasn't holding my attention so I turned out the light and snuggled down under the blankets. It was some time before I fell into a light sleep. I kept coming into consciousness and opening my eyes and finding it light. Each time I checked the clock, each time is was still night time.

Finally, I got out of bed and went downstairs to turn out the lights that I had obviously left on. Only there were no lights on. The world, however, was very light. In fact there was a pink glow to the neighborhood the origin of which I never located. Surmising that this was some sort of reflection off the snow, I went back to bed, finally, to sleep, awakening at the normal time.

I don't consider that March came to us like a lion because it must have been a very gentle snow. There were six to eight inch high gatherings of snow on fence tops and even narrow porch railings. LOTS and LOTS of snow. Beautiful white snow. Covering the whole of my immediate world.

Gabriel, being only a few inches high, had a difficult time finding just the right places for his morning ritual. Heretofore, the snows have been heavy enough that he could manage walking on top. This snow was way to soft. Nature won out though, but he was not happy.

Here he is, my Lion of March

MARCH NEWSLETTER

There is always a "panic" feeling in the pit of my stomach just as I click on the "send" button to dispatch the newsletter. Even though I have gone over it a kazillion times and even had top notch proofing done for me, it is still a scary feeling. What if something is really wrong? What if it is ALL wrong? It happens. There is always something amiss or awry.

This is one of the ministries in my life that somehow just happened. In fact, the happening was more in the way of my volunteering. For an interim period. Interim is stretching -- it is well over a year now. It is not the newsletter that it could be; it is the newsletter that I can do. And really all I do is format and edit. Once in a while I write a piece. Not often.

And truth be told, the newsletter is not read. Not by many anyway. How do I know? I know. And how does that make me feel? Actually, as soon as the "panic" feeling disappears -- and that is seconds -- I consider it a done deal and turn my attention to the next project. Knowing that I have done the best that I am able, and in a timely fashion is enough. It is a worthwhile ministry for me.

HOWEVER, if someone were to come along and say, "Hey, you know, I really would like to take on the newsletter," I would be ecstatic. A new look, fresh energy, modern thinking, all would be good. Until then.................

SATURDAY AS SABBATH

It is Saturday. Nothing is planned. No appointments. No commitments. A sabbath time. I was just reading about time over on Milton's blog. He has some interesting things to say about time, do go over there and read it all the way to the end where you will find this quote: "I can see the transformational possibilities when I can remember the who more than the where. To be friends with time is to choose people over tasks, shared moments over schedules, passion over punctuality." Profound!

Time is a precious commodity. And filling it up with busyness seems to be the norm these days. We are in such a hurry to accomplish. I am guilty of enjoying the process while the accomplishment often does not happen. I am looking at that phenomena differently these days. No more guilt about a project left undone. I now look on them as learning experiences. I have a closet full of "learning experiences" that reflect the expenditure of much of my time. When I come across those unfinished projects I fondly remember the joy and satisfaction of the process. Maybe one day when one of these projects surfaces, I will have a renewed interest and pull it out begin anew. Maybe not also.

Relaxing in time is fairly new to me. It must have happened gradually because I don't remember making any conscious effort to attain this. Accepting what is immediate is a better way for me to engage life. Deal with the now. Do it the best way I can. Let the future flow into a better now.

LENTEN FASTING

RevLois went over the fastings of Lent in her Ash Wednesday homily. Fasting is NOT abstinence, she insisted. Giving up chocolate just isn't fasting. Giving up cigarettes might be fasting. The real fasting she said, and I remember her saying this same thing LAST year, is to eat half the usual amounts for two meals of the day and then a simple third meal -- like bread and soup. The point being that the process of the giving up should be felt in the body as well as in the soul.

AND whilst cutting back on our intake we might spend that saved money to buy food for the food banks or feeding the hungry in some way -- locally, nationally, internationally. Or volunteer our time at any number of places.

At supper tonight Bill said to me, "What are we doing for Lent?" To which I replied, "What did you have in mind?" He answered, "We could buy some food and take it to the food bank." "Yes, we could, " I said, "And what will we be giving up in order to have the money to do that?"

He looked at me with this really got look on his face and said, "Give up?"

So much for the fastings of Lent. I'm not doing it. Not this year. Last year we actually gave up dinners out for all of Lent and donated that money to the Sierra Leone Project. It was well worth it. This year I am not inclined to do anything. I fell pretty well loaded up with my current efforts. I need to do some serious taking care of myself. Instead of adding more on to my life to keep track of and evaluate and judge and cause me agita. perhaps I will take stock of what I am already doing. Is it working? Is it worthwhile? REALLY worthwhile? And to whom?

Many things to think about this Lent.

DUST AND GRIME

Today's big event was the beginning of the mini-blind cleaning challenge. I finished up the inside window pane cleaning challenge that my sister and I were doing and so must move on to the blinds and the woodwork so that I am ready to do the OUTSIDE window panes when the weather turns warm.

I don't do curtains or drapes. When I did have drapes they were hung OUTSIDE of the window frame. I want as much of the natural outside light as possible to come into the rooms because light adds so much to one's sense of well being. In a cape it can be dismal; and the winter months are oppressive.

When we put on the second floor, I wanted LOTS of windows. And I got them. Three pair across the front and one on each end. The bathroom in the back has ample window space also. Of course these eight windows added six mini-blinds to the count. The light that streams into our open second level is worth the mini-blind cleaning. I guess. This is the first effort and why I am having to face so much dust and grime -- I am really bad about the dust cloth thing.

Bill to the rescue. He fashioned a mini-blind tub from two wall paper hanging tubs, cutting off one end of each one and putting them back together as one. Today was the first cleaning endeavor. Works great.

As is the case with most projects, this one is entailing more that I had planned. Mini-blinds come long. Too long for most windows. When we put them up we just put them up and let the excess sit on the window sill. Not very attractive. So now that I am into the cleaning, I am also into having them 'right.' Patience and care are required to be able to cut just the right strings to remove the correct number of slats. AND the main cords cannot be cut too short or...... Right! Just made it with this first one.

I am happy to be energized. I am happy to have this simple project which is a physical activity that allows my brain to ponder aimlessly on whatever happens to flit through. I love to ponder. And I am happy to be accomplishing something purposeful too. Clean is good.