The end of March brings completely crap weather around here. One day it's 60 degrees and the very next I'm turning on the heated car seat and it's snowing. OK, well not snow in the sense that you have to shovel it, but enough that the top of Mt. Jefferson is white, the deck out my window is dusted, and school in Ashe County is going to be meeting on yet another Saturday to make up for a snow day.
Meanwhile, my crocus are blooming, the lawn guys have done the heavy work ripping up the old landscape fabric and the mulching is done. We've put the bright red cushions out on the newly stained and spruced up outdoor furniture on the porch, and, thus far, on the warm days we've resisted buying any fragile plants. Good thing, too. Today is one of the days the temperature will take a dive and snow, at least of the flurry variety, is due to commence by this afternoon.
My traveling plans and work levels seem to be running in tandem with the weather. One day I've got a crazy calendar of places to be or things to do, and the next there's a blank square on the day. It's the uneven calm before a storm of scheduled activities and obligations I've created for this Spring.
But really "storm" is an imperfect metaphor. It's kind of negative, and most all of the things I've planned are positive -- good -- fun! Sure there's "work" in there, but almost none of it is in the make-it-go-away category.
And those blank square days? I am learning to appreciate them in a very new way. They don't worry me. They don't nag me. I'm not trying to think of ways to fill them, or guilting myself out of enjoying them for what they are: OPEN days, there to be filled or not with whatever seems like the right thing to do, that day.
Meanwhile, my crocus are blooming, the lawn guys have done the heavy work ripping up the old landscape fabric and the mulching is done. We've put the bright red cushions out on the newly stained and spruced up outdoor furniture on the porch, and, thus far, on the warm days we've resisted buying any fragile plants. Good thing, too. Today is one of the days the temperature will take a dive and snow, at least of the flurry variety, is due to commence by this afternoon.
My traveling plans and work levels seem to be running in tandem with the weather. One day I've got a crazy calendar of places to be or things to do, and the next there's a blank square on the day. It's the uneven calm before a storm of scheduled activities and obligations I've created for this Spring.
But really "storm" is an imperfect metaphor. It's kind of negative, and most all of the things I've planned are positive -- good -- fun! Sure there's "work" in there, but almost none of it is in the make-it-go-away category.
And those blank square days? I am learning to appreciate them in a very new way. They don't worry me. They don't nag me. I'm not trying to think of ways to fill them, or guilting myself out of enjoying them for what they are: OPEN days, there to be filled or not with whatever seems like the right thing to do, that day.