Can Spring be far away?

I love the first peek at springtime! The weather is fickle - from 22F at night earlier this week to 70's in the day in the next few days. Perfect time to get out the pruning shears, work on the shrubs, Knock-out roses, planting new Clematis bulbs and all of those other early spring chores. Nothing brings back life better than digging and working in Mother Earth and thanking God for the benefits she gives us. I always start out with great plans, but don't have the help to carry them all out. My husband doesn't feel the same "spirit" when working in the yard. It's just about the bottom of his most hated chores list - or guess that would be the top of that list. Our bushes around the back show that. They weren't trimmed back last year, and have almost over-taken it and the walkway around it. He has the impression that planting things as close as possible to both the deck and each other is the way to go instead of allowing growing room for things.

Anyone need any Nandia starts? I have about a dozen from my bush in the front if anyone wants to come and get them! They are cheap! LOL

Life sometimes is a tangle

I realize that I needed to dig down inside myself and pull out the things I am grateful for - instead of letting "life" swallow me up as I have for December, January and February - especially after the eye surgery. It was so so much more difficult than I had been prepared for or expected.

So I need to be thankful and appreciative that I am alive - there are people whose loved one didn't wake up this morning or will not tomorrow. So many take it for granted that there will always be a tomorrow - and it is not for certain. So for this, I am grateful.

I am also thankful for my family. My daughter brought me a beautiful orchid in bloom for my birthday - unfortunately the temperature was in the 20's and destroyed the blooms and buds on it. She was so disappointed - she said she put it in her jacket and thought it would be ok - but didn't cover it in her car or anything. But it was a really pretty color and I will baby it and hope it blooms again next year! She then brought me a bouquet of tulips and lunch one day - it was one of the first things I had eaten that didn't come out of a can or a freezer bag since my surgery. Made two meals out of it all. The boys both called and got me to meet them for lunch on my birthday - so that was thoughtful thing for them to do.

I am finally able to knit a little - getting some sight and improving on the eye hand coordination needed to knit - was a little funny when I first tried. Have one baby bootie finished out of the Koigu KPPM - now to finish the other. Had plans to deliver them tomorrow, but its not going to happen. Knitting has been so relaxing and I missed it terribly.

Someone who I had mentioned and prayed for during her tough time and subsequent surgery wrote in her blog things that made me ashamed that I had let the months swallow me up, instead of facing them head on with the same courage she showed - through a much much more difficult surgery and life altering recovery. Most of you probably read Alison H's blog but if you don't you should!

So I am going to keep the link for this entry, and when I feel that "feeling" coming again, I am going to read this and remember - it takes courage to keep on going sometimes.