the beauty of rain

try a new color today...

i forgot how much
it rains in the spring
but i love the view
from our new house

we have a small
stand of woods
in back

during the winter
it looks bare
and we see all the
cars race by
(at 35-40 mph
it is hardly racing
but it seems that way
especially the fire trucks
with sirens blaring
which happens often
as the fire house
is closer than we would
like it to be)

but in the past week
the rain, rain, rain
has turned everything
to that beautiful green color
and i hardly can see
the street or cars
our own private oasis

it's wonderful to see
the red birds and chickadees
and a blue bird
and even a woodpecker
i had always heard them
but never really seen one
(unless you count
the cartoon one -
uh-uh-ah-ha, uh-uh-ah-ha,
ha-ha-ha-ha)
beautiful
striking red head
and a gray body

and even more beautiful
is the pinkish-purple bloom
on a small tree on the edge
of the woods
set against all that green

it's days like today
that i wish i had been blessed
with the gift of painting
i've tried
i don't have it
: )

and just when i was sad
to have left the peonies behind
(not the work that is required
mind you, just the blooms)
i see a small patch of
maybe 10 wiry stems
growing just outside
the window...
in the neighbors' yard

god is so good
the blooms
without the work
what a blessing!

prayers for safe travels
for half my family
and for the busy bee
realty market
please, please
have a sold sign for us soon

spring break

i always dread
spring break
i mean i like spring
and i really like
the break part
but the idea of more kids
bouncing around in the house
makes me wonder
if it really is a break

but it hasn't been so bad
i think the monkey
swinging in another
tree for a while
although unintentional
was a good idea

yesterday
with the sun shining
we rented a row boat
and took off across the lake

we had a small dead fish
along for the ride
that totally grossed out
the talker
finally she released it
with a ride on a stick
to its final resting place
in the water

and the talker actually
did okay
rowing our little boat

the lion thought it was fun
and looked cute in his litte
life jacket
"case i fall in de water"
"dis is fun, mommy"

three blisters
and a sunburned face later
we made it back to shore
what a good workout
the wind and the water
ahh...spring break