Big Love

Today I found an Eastern Box Turtle in our driveway.  He looked out of place on the concrete, as if he took a wrong turn at the bright yellow bush and didn't know how to come back.  Unfortunately, I didn't have a camera at the time. One generally doesn't take one along to check the mail.  I promise you, dear reader, I will not allow this to happen again.  He was a lovely old man.  Actually, I couldn't tell you how old he was, but he brought me a lot of joy.  I carried him to the pond by our driveway only to find out later that he was a land turtle, not a water one. Oops. I justified my poor choice by thinking to myself that everyone prefers living by water.

There is a tiny purple finch that likes the ginkgo tree by our kitchen window. I haven't been able to get a good photo of her yet either. I will. She comes around all the time and sings her little heart out as I chop vegetables.  I'm just not fast enough. She's modest.

I keep re-stating that spring is coming so quickly. Every day I see something new that wasn't there before. I guess that's the magic of spring. Just as quickly as winter took it away, it reappears. It's like a celebration here at Moraine. The birds and bees and babies make it such an adventure.

...Speaking of babies...little brother has a few new favorite games. He can't quite sit up alone yet, but likes to try.  His little piano has been a great investment.  I'm not one of those moms who can really adequately suggest 'baby gear' because I know different things work for different people, but the Fisher Price Kick N' Play Piano Gym that I bought has been his favorite toy thus far by a landslide. Of course, he's thrilled with a paper napkin if you catch him in a good enough mood, so don't give that too much thought.

Schroeder, from Peanuts

Yeah mom, hilarious.

Big brother is pretty much grown. He doesn't need me for much of anything except some gentle reminders about behavior and manners, but I can name a few adults who need those same gentle reminders.  He's working hard at boy scouts and school and being a good person.  It's a full-time responsibility to be 9 years old and a good person.  There are so-SO many outside influences.  He really is a tender heart. Sometimes I miss him being a snuggle baby. But don't tell him that.

D has been having a hard time lately. This is the season when they do prescribed fire for his job.  He wakes up early in the morning and gets everything ready.  It's adorable at first, like a kid on the first day of school.  His shirt is tucked in, boots are laced tight, belt is just so.  He has trail mix in a Ziploc, a cold Pepsi and two bottles of water and an apple.  His teeth are shiny and straight and his fingernails are trimmed and clean.  He has checked the weather, wind, humidity, and chance of precipitation about 8 times before little brother and I even wake up. He is excited to have a hand in bringing the earth back to a natural, beautiful state.  (It's a process. I don't know all the steps, but burning is one of them.  The whole destroy something to make it whole again theory I suppose.)

Hours later, he comes home finally.  I cannot accurately describe the condition my husband is in after something like this. Today was the worst so far.  He was waddling.  Clint Eastwood meets Frankenstein after a rodeo waddling. He smelled like he forgot to stop-drop-and -roll.  The bandanna he wears to keep the sweat out of his eyes was foul. His clothes were the usual mess, smoke smelly and soaked with sweat.  He had a terrible heat rash on his thighs and he's just exhausted. This came right after an awful bout with poison ivy last week.  Thankfully, this is a short season and there shouldn't be many more days like this.  It's hard to see him like that, but he has this beautiful hard-working soul that finds joy in a hard day's work, so I just try to help keep him comfortable once he's home. My pioneer man.

Just another day on the Moraine. Critters and babies, boys and bugs.  Summer will be here before we know it. I have a feeling my photos of food will be changing pretty quickly to something a little less...comforty.

I read this today and it made me feel good:

"Disturb us, Lord, when where, losing sight of land, we shall find the stars we ask you to push back the horizons of our hopes; and to push us into the future in strength, courage, hope and love.  This we ask in the name of our captain, who is Jesus Christ." - Sir Francis Drake, 1557, Before departing England to circumnavigate the globe

I could have read this yesterday and it wouldn't mean anything. Timing is funny like that. Today, it sang to me-like a little purple finch I know.

-S.