Teeny, tiny grape hyacinths growing in the space between the rocks. There’s another one coming out from the gravel by the porch. One of the earliest signs around here that spring has sprung. It was sunny and lovely yesterday and I did some initial work outside. Not a whole lot, as I am mindful of my back. It felt so good to be out there. I picked up branches that had fallen due to snow and wind, cleaned the porch railings, and basically started making a list in my head of what must be done around here.
And it’s a long one.
The lilac has buds in varying stages of growth. These are the furthest along. You can see the tiny purple bits inside.
Normally, I’d be further along than I am in yard and garden and porch clean-up, but between my back, lingering winter weather, and tons of rain, I’m behind. I just have to be patient with myself and do what I can when I can.
It’s raining this morning.
Well. The cassette tape. I got it to play and I was having a lovely time listening to the broadcast and then the sound got weird and I hit stop. The tape was caught in the rollers. We extricated it, but the tape broke, so we had to splice it. Okay. I fast forwarded past the problem area, was able to listen to another nice chunk of Jurgen Gothe and his eclectic music programming and then – it broke again.
That’s it for the tape. I’m very sad. But it’s also 23 years old and it was kept inside my old CR-V for several of those years. Sigh. I won’t deny that it left me feeling down. Maybe it can be salvaged in some way, but I suspect it isn’t worth the expense.
Crap.
I might take a little drive today to see if Barnes & Noble has the new Country Living. I’m curious to see how they styled my egg cups. I think it should be on the stands now, as it’s the May issue and it’s almost mid-April.
Stay safe.
Happy Tuesday.
I’m sorry the tape broke. It reminds me that I need to find someone who can pull my old Christmas tape off cassette and into MP3 or similar so I can share it with the cousins. We did it the first Christmas together after the moms died. We were trying so hard to be merry. Sometimes funny, sometimes — when you remember when it was recorded — heartbreakingly sad. We must have left the recorder running and done something else because there is a big, long gap!
I’m seeing spring signs here, too. Yesterday my mini-daffs and irises popped, I found a crocus and I’m sure there’s a muscari out there somewhere. I’m seeing a few more buds on trees and bushes. It’s there.
There’s so much I’d like to do today — it’s supposed to be well into the 60s. But I seem to be afibbing this morning and the pulse is so low, I’m not inclined to push too hard for a bit. Just chill till I regulate. This is the first time in quite a while and I’m not sure what triggered it. Good grief. It’s always something…
I’m so sorry that’s happening, Jeanie. I hope you’re feeling better now.
Stay safe.
I am sorry about the tape…at least you got to hear part of it! I’ve been looking for our wedding recording, also on a cassette, for many years. Somewhere along the way, it seems to have disappeared. The music was done by a friend who became the head of the Madison Symphony Orchestra shortly after and was wonderful…sweet memories.
I’m glad you were able to get out yesterday and putter around. A little at a time is probably best for most of us these days. Enjoy your day! ;)
It’s turned into a lovely day here, unseasonably warm – at 71 degrees.
Stay safe, Donnamae.
Country Living should send you the magazine! You were gracious/brave enough to send pieces of your collection to them for use in their magazine. I will be on the lookout for it . . . I’m anxious to see as well.
I was going to say the same thing! I ran a magazine for ten years and I made sure that all of our contributors received a complementary copy of “their issue”.
I’ve been featured in other mags and received copies, but nothing – so far – from Country Living. I did run out to the bookstore and it’s not on the shelf yet.
xo
Yes, of course they should. But the woman I worked with couldn’t be bothered to answer my brief question sent to her via email last Friday, which was ‘Do you know when the May issue will be on the stands?”
So I’m not counting on any copies. I’ll be happy to say I was wrong if they arrive in my mailbox.
Stay safe, Chris.
Hi Claudia,
Today is my birthday. I grew up in northern Connecticut, and hate to tell you that we always got at least one minor winter blast after it every year.
I celebrated by finishing Richard Powers’ Bewilderment. Thanks for another wonderful recommendation. It was beautifully written; heart breaking and heart filling all at once.
-Jayne
Well, I’ve lived out here for 21 years and it’s rarely happened here in the Hudson Valley – I do remember a few early April snowfalls, but only a few. And I lived in Boston for a chunk of time, as well.
Happy Birthday, Jayne!
I’m so glad you liked Bewilderment!
Stay safe.
I love the burgeoning signs of spring as well as your nature photography. (The opening lilac buds look very Little Shop of Horrors-ish, but still beautiful!) Your attention to detail is lovely, whether inside or out.
Thank you, Jenny.
Stay safe.
I’ve been spending any spare time the last week viewing old VHS cassettes we recorded with an aim to convert them to digital and saving them on an external SSD. The first ten were recordings of televised John Denver concerts, episodes of 90210–I had teens, and such things that we won’t be keeping. I did hit the gold mine of family memories this afternoon. A Christmas celebration as I was just recovering from bilateral mastectomies and reconstruction included my late father, father-in-law and brother-in-law as well as our Persian, B.C., destined to live to be 17. We had about 40 seconds of our daughter running down the stairs to usher her now husband of 25 years out the front door before we could take photos. Youngest daughter’s special occasions, too, and a house full of siblings, friends, nieces and nephews singing Christmas carols. Rather badly. We’re trying to declutter a little at a time, and the VHS cassettes needed to go, but all the effort of the last week or two were worth it to spend the last few hours seeing us as we were. I hope all your waiting results in a glorious springtime that rewards you for all this long period of waiting.
I love hearing this; that you were able to see the old videography. My old VHS tapes of family stuff are buried in longtime deep storage; I just don’t know what I’ll find from 35 years ago (never have viewed them since), except that I know I have stuff of my beloved aunt and uncle from 1982; me at FROW, Kenny Loggins concert in 1987 (soundtrack from Top Gun was still HUGE); Mom playing the piano and singing from 1984; Dad sitting in his recliner with one of my dogs sprawled over him in complete contentment; yes, a glimpse of a long-ago life (none of it includes a husband yet; I was single ‘forever’) and I just hope they still play and can be viewed clearly enough; so glad my brother rented an early version of the video cam, then later bought one, but he-himself was already gone from us by early 90s. Thanks for sharing your story; I’ve been feeling some trepidation with Claudia’s experience of the old cassette tape. (Claudia: Glad you got to hear at least SOME of it!)
Thankfully, someone in my family converted our old home movies to DVD many years ago. I need to watch them again!
xo
I’m so glad you got to watch those VHS cassettes, Linda. They sound wonderful!
Stay safe.
Ah, gosh, look at the COLOR of those lovely grape hyacinths! We have a meadow-flower patch, planted on purpose, and one or two (in a sea of pinks, oranges, yellows, reds) unidentified wildflowers springing up are similar to that purple (and a few are even the palest lavender hue). I get so much pleasure from this bounty of color as clearly you do too from your new buds; and, Claudia, so much to look forward to, because you have so many flowers yet to come in your beautiful MHC yard!
I cannot wait!
Stay safe, Vicki!
I’m very sad the tape broke. I have some old VCR tapes that I am afraid to try to play of Christmas when the kids were young. I still have good memories in my head and photos but some of the videos would be lovely to watch again. Hugs!
It made me very sad, but at least I got to hear a portion of it.
Thanks, Linda.
Stay safe.