I love moss. It’s soft to walk on. Its greenness somehow makes a hot day seem cooler. It’s also beautiful.
Moss
More Moss
Moss and Partridge Berry
Just in case that wasn’t enough moss for you, here are links to previous posts that included pictures of moss: Seek and You Shall Find, Tiny Gardens, Picture My Walk, and SITY: Moss Is Awesome.
Japanese andromeda is a wonderful shrub. It has beautiful, fragrant, long-lasting flowers in abundant clusters that provide a sumptuous feast for many different types of insects. But because the flowers are so unruly, they’re hard to photograph. I took shot after shot and ended up deleting most of them, but I kept a few. Here are my two favorites.
Japanese andromeda, expecting a guest
Japanese andromeda, close up, with a friend
Dear Livia,
Sometimes you are a lot like your brother. You do so many of the same things he did at your age, from throwing unwanted food off your tray, to shredding books, to climbing on the table, and on and on. I guess all children do those kinds of things.
That doesn’t mean you’re not unique. You put you own special spin on everything. For example, Marshall’s first word was “cookie.” You chose the remarkably similar “cracker” to be your first word, but then you amazed us by asking specifically for “graham cracker.” That was a mighty big phrase for such a small girl! You’re still so fond of graham crackers that your father and I sometimes have to refer to them in code. We call them “GC.”
Like Marshall before you, you point to the cat and say, “Dah!” And you point to the light and say, “Dah!” And like Marshall, you might be a little bit confused about the name “Dada.” For the longest time, Marshall would point to himself and say, “Dada!” So strongly did he seem convinced of this self-identity, we joked about him going through life using that name. But you have taken the dada thing to a whole new level. Not only Daddy, but also Marshall, the window, and the song “Pressure” are all “dada” to you. And one day you even pointed to yourself and said—yup, you guessed it— “Dada.”
In fairness to you, I must add that there seem to be slight differences in the way you say each dada. For example, Daddy is “Dada,” the window is more like “DAH-deu,” and Marshall is “DAAAH-da.” I think it’s great that you’ve picked up some of the the subtleties of language pronunciation, but if you don’t mind my making a suggestion, you really should work on the word “mama” a little bit more.
Love,
Mom
I went outside today to check on Spring’s progress. I took some pictures. I forgot to do a tick check when I came inside. While it’s the only time I’ve forgotten since the weather turned warmer, I should be more careful. The ticks are out. Not only does common sense tell me that, but the local newspaper confirms it. The newspaper also says that this year will be even tickier than last. I can hardly bear to imagine that, but let’s assume it’s true.
Now look at the picture I took today.
There is a bug on the violet and it looks like a tick. If it is a tick, yuck. If it’s not a tick, it still makes me think of ticks, which is almost as bad. I touched that flower, so any bugs on it could have transferred themselves to me easily. Yuck more.
It’s fun to find the first violets and four-leaf clovers of the season. It is not fun to find the first tick. I have been bracing myself for this moment for weeks. I knew it was inevitable. I knew it would upset me. The question is whether or not it will keep me indoors most of the spring and summer.
I found the first four-leaf clover of the season.
I picked the clover and gave it to my husband, who gave it to our son. So I’m not sure which one of us gets the good luck. Maybe we share it?
Ever since my friend posted a photo of a sunrise on her blog, I’ve had a John Mayer song stuck in my head. The song, from Mayer’s first studio album, Room for Squares, is called “3×5.” Ironically, the lyrics are about how he went outside without his camera because he wanted to concentrate on the experience rather than trying to take pictures. The reason the sunrise picture summoned this welcome “earworm” to mind is the chorus.
You should have seen that sunrise with your own eyes.
It brought me back to life.
You’ll be with me next time I go outside.
No more 3×5’s.
I like the sentiment. I like the bouncy rhythm of the song. “3×5” always makes me smile, and that’s why it’s one of My Favorite Things.
Living in a wooded area, we are fortunate to have a spot on our property that gets a lot of sun at this time of year. It’s where we planted all the daffodils. I noticed yesterday that a few violets had managed to sneak in there, too, and they’re happily soaking up the extra rays. Sleeping Beauty here is just about ready to get up and don her party dress.
I have finally decided that my new Sunday feature will be My Favorite Things. It’s an upbeat category and it will remind me to be grateful for the good things in my life. The subject for any given week might be a song, poem, movie, book, photograph, kitchen gadget, quote, or anything else that I like and that I feel like writing about. Anything goes.
Ribbiting Tales, edited by Nancy Springer
Grade: A
Ribbiting Tales is a wonderful little collection of frog stories. The contributing authors are Bruce Coville, Robert J. Harris, Brian Jacques, Janet Taylor Lisle, David Lubar, Stephen Menick, Nancy Springer, and Jane Yolen. I particularly liked Nancy Springer’s story “Ahem,” in which a girl makes a wish that comes true in a most unexpected and froggy way. Great springtime reading.
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