This time each year my mind shifts. The windows open, nature sounds are let back inside and mingle with everyday life. My thoughts shift to seeds, plants, sunshiny walks, blowing bubbles. It seems like the very projects I was knitting on days ago don't interest me anymore because they're from the cold weather days. Now I shift to new projects, warm weather projects...
Radiate by Helene RushMisti International Pima-Silk
So far the yarn and the pattern are a delight. A springy delight. I sat out back on the deck yesterday and warmed my skin in the sunshine. Pretty soon my deck will be full shade but right now it's under a canopy of budding branches that filter the sunlight and create a certain bliss. I plan on doing much of the same today.
Yesterday I sipped ice tea, listened to the birds singing, listened to the squirrels scavenging the forest behind our house. All I could think about was our garden in Iowa. This would be year three for most of our perennials. 'Year one they sleep, year two they creep, year three they leap' I wish I was around to watch them leap. To tend to them and show them the appreciation that I have for them. I wonder if our crabapple tree is blooming. I wonder if the hundreds of bulbs I planted just last fall are coming up.
I want to go to Waterworks Park and see the crabapple trees all in bloom. The American Redbuds and the Magnolia trees have to be amazing right now. The sweet, warm, Iowa air. the Union Park Carousel. Walker Johnston Park. Evenings thick with thunderstorms looming. The neighborhood garage sale. The downtown farmer's market. Saturday knitting at Ted's. Walks around Gray's Lake. The church picnic, field day at school, J. and Eric in the 4th Parade, the lilac arboretum at Ewing Park, the rose gardens at the art center, coffee at Grounds for Celebration, driving up to get my groceries at Hy-Vee. I could go on and on. I mostly just miss the familiarity of the people. Not feeling like I'm in a foriegn country.
Most of the time I don't like talking to people about being from Iowa out here because they look at me with cross eyes and just think its a big corn field out in the middle of no where. They joke about how much they hate ethanol, they joke about 'the one tree' out there. Sometimes I do run in to someone who has actually been there and they go on and on about how great it is out there.
I tell people we moved here for the quality of life and it's true... we do love Maine, the people, and the land... but Iowa is truly a great place to live and a great place to raise a family, no matter how much time passes. I'll always be an Iowan.
We did get to enjoy a delightful place this week ... Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. It's an amazing place in Boothbay Harbor. Most of the 'garden' space is natural forest which is truly the beauty of Maine for me. It was an enchanting place. We immediately got season passes and can't wait to watch everything bud, bloom and change with the seasons.
Yesterday I sipped ice tea, listened to the birds singing, listened to the squirrels scavenging the forest behind our house. All I could think about was our garden in Iowa. This would be year three for most of our perennials. 'Year one they sleep, year two they creep, year three they leap' I wish I was around to watch them leap. To tend to them and show them the appreciation that I have for them. I wonder if our crabapple tree is blooming. I wonder if the hundreds of bulbs I planted just last fall are coming up.
I want to go to Waterworks Park and see the crabapple trees all in bloom. The American Redbuds and the Magnolia trees have to be amazing right now. The sweet, warm, Iowa air. the Union Park Carousel. Walker Johnston Park. Evenings thick with thunderstorms looming. The neighborhood garage sale. The downtown farmer's market. Saturday knitting at Ted's. Walks around Gray's Lake. The church picnic, field day at school, J. and Eric in the 4th Parade, the lilac arboretum at Ewing Park, the rose gardens at the art center, coffee at Grounds for Celebration, driving up to get my groceries at Hy-Vee. I could go on and on. I mostly just miss the familiarity of the people. Not feeling like I'm in a foriegn country.
Most of the time I don't like talking to people about being from Iowa out here because they look at me with cross eyes and just think its a big corn field out in the middle of no where. They joke about how much they hate ethanol, they joke about 'the one tree' out there. Sometimes I do run in to someone who has actually been there and they go on and on about how great it is out there.
I tell people we moved here for the quality of life and it's true... we do love Maine, the people, and the land... but Iowa is truly a great place to live and a great place to raise a family, no matter how much time passes. I'll always be an Iowan.
We did get to enjoy a delightful place this week ... Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. It's an amazing place in Boothbay Harbor. Most of the 'garden' space is natural forest which is truly the beauty of Maine for me. It was an enchanting place. We immediately got season passes and can't wait to watch everything bud, bloom and change with the seasons.
This year my gardening focus is going to be on containers. I don't feel settled enough yet to plant some roots in the ground. I have a huge elevated deck that will be mostly shade in a couple weeks. I brought all of my pots from Iowa and I'm just going to fill them all with shade-loving annuals and herbs and create my own oasis in the trees out back. It'll be quite the lovely retreat all summer long. It also has a very sturdy gate so the babe can hang out there with me without having to worry about falling down the stairs... so nice!
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