After the magnolias
but before the roses
comes lilac country.
I spread a blanket
on the grass and wait
for the lilacs –
they bloom
in an instant.
A snapshot of spring
so fragile; seven days
where everything is
perfect.
Lilac Country
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The Kettle Boils
What sight is more beautiful than
a dog and cat curled in a
handmade quilt while the rain
patters on the tin roof?
Alone, with just the:
House
Dog
Cat
& thoughts.
Then-
the kettle boils.
A siren song to life, my tea
black as night, sweet as song.
Late to work as I climb the stairs,
Fully dressed- shoes on,
To look once more at the
dog and cat curled in a
handmade quilt while the rain
patters on the tin roof.
Mid-Spring Sunlight
In the past week, there have been more days of rain than sunshine, so I am soaking up every little bit that I can. On Tuesday night, I laid out a blanket in the yard and read until the sun dipped behind the garage. The warmer weather has called for salads and iced tea- one of my favorite combinations. With the warm weather, the end of the Spring semester draws near- meaning I can work from home three days a week instead of two. I’m looking forward to working on my back porch rather than sitting at a dark desk inside. Not much knitting has been happening, but I have found plenty of inspiration on Pinterest. In fact, I’ve been a little Pinterest-crazy lately, and it’s been a lot of fun. I have a better idea for what the remainder of Spring and this coming Summer will look like: full of glowing light, spontaneous travel, delicious food, entrancing novels, and beautiful crafts.
April Arboretum Loveliness
I’m very lucky to work near the Arboretum and new Palmer Museum of Art. On my lunch walks, I try to visit, but with classes in session, it’s usually very busy. This past week I was able to get out for a walk a little later than usual, so I could stop and soak in all of the lovely flowers. Early spring blooms are my favorite, especially hyacinths and daffodils. The Arboretum didn’t have any tulips this year, but the loss was offset by hellebore and an adorable member of the amaryllis family. I paused my walk tracker to spend 5 minutes bird-watching at the Bird House. There were a pile of frogs- and their songs drowned out the birds, so I could only identify by sight. After spending forty-five minutes in the Arboretum, I headed back to work, refreshed and ready to finish my day.
Lancaster, March 2024
Just a quick one today… at the end of March, my fiance and I took a trip down to Lancaster County for a weekend away. We had a marvelous time carousing around the countryside. Highlights of our trip included shopping at the outlets, visiting the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, and eating at restaurants like Route 30 Diner and Shady Maple Smorgasbord. I was deeply inspired by the many historical colonial buildings and the omnipresent tidy landscaping. There is so much to do in Lancaster County that we didn’t have time for; like walking through James Buchanan’s Wheatland and taking a ride on the Strasburg Rail Road. Already we are planning a return trip!
gathering swallows 