April Showers? Stormy Weather?

After all, it's only April and we can still have wintery weather. As a good friend said, "Only five more months until winter comes back." - which isn't far from the truth. April is the fourth month and often we do get frosts, freezes, and occasionally snow in September - the ninth month. On the bright side, we seldom get earthquakes here. Even tornadoes rather rarely happen. Hurricanes seem reserved for islands and coasts. Forest fires are rare here as are droughts. Clicking on photos enlarges them.

I am recovering from double surgeries done on the day before my birthday this year - yippee. The surgeries were "outpatient" which apparently has become code for - we don't want you to stay in the hospital because of all the drug resistant pathogens now. Foolishly I thought I would be able to drive myself home. Although when I left on Monday I was not in pain and I thought everything was oakie dokie. Now I'm sure that that was simply because the drugs hadn't worn off. I really wanted to die on my birthday - which would have been clear and neat, eh?

I want to thank everyone who gave me meals, sent me cards, letters, emails, and even flowers. I'm embarrassed by the outpouring. Thank you.

John was cooking outside on this grill just recently! 

I love the icicles - grillcicles? 

This week I had the staples (21 of them) removed. They used to use platinum but switched to cheaper aluminum. Pity. They could have been turned into a nice ring. The various shades of water color are fascinating. The water colors are partly dependent on water depth but are also influenced by clouds, wind speed, wave action, recent river runoffs, and most likely my moods.

I love, love, love the idea that "my" cedar waxwings return each spring to feast on the wild cranberry viburnums. (In the first photo, the bird's head is turned sideways)

 "My" crows are doing a lot of courtship displaying and nest material choosing. I'm hoping the nest will be closeby again this year. They are magnificent birds.

I usually take two naps a day now - I'm thinking it's because I'm recovering and that this won't last but one never knows, do one! Ah, sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of care . . . . . I'm still very sore but have been off the pain killers since last weekend. I'm most grateful that spring has not really arrived because there's no way I could be doing post winter clean up chores. It's thundering off in the distance; the dogs have forgotten what that sounds like and are "concerned" for my safety, or so they say. Ha!

Winter Aconite

The three year old volunteers are flowering now for the first time, the second year volunteers are just a rosette of leaves but they will join with and flower with their siblings next spring. The dicotyledon seedlings from last year's flowers still haven't germinated. Those two leafed-seedlings will be virtually invisible this year and will not grow their rosette of leaves until their second year.

Spring Flowering Irises

Lyn made a great hearty lentil soup and gifted me it which sped my recovery I'm sure - it gave me three nutrition packed meals and relieved me of the chore of meal planning.

Corydalis

Jon and Tracy bought me several prepared meals for my local Willis Market; They were deeply appreciated. I have lost my appetite. Food just doesn't sound interesting to me. Or is it that the preparation of meals doesn't sound interesting any more? I think I now see why old people start neglecting healthful foods and diets and start choosing inappropriate foods. (Maybe it's not just old people, eh?)

Species Crocuses

Species Crocuses

I seem to prefer the "wild" crocuses (croci?) They aren't as big and showy as the hybridized crocuses which are almost as large as tulips now but they do flower a bit earlier and seem, at least to me, to be hardier.