From slightly freezy to FROZEN!

I remember sitting on the patio this summer and the only relief from the heat was putting our feet in our "pool." The pool is really part of my dismantled water feature from the last several years. I filled it up in the Spring mostly for Wilbur-the-cat-who-drinks-endless-water and the dog too. But one day it was SO hot it just seemed natural to take my ice tea outside, pull up a chair to the pool and, plop in my feet. It was quite refreshing. Well, now it is quite frozen. It had a few leaves in it and I was going to dump it out and lean it up against the fence before winter came. Then winter came with no warning....the temps just dropped and I didn't think it would last...and instead--it got colder. The dog and the cat (when he goes out-he is kind of a fair weather cat) are totally confused about the ice in their water source.

Mediation Garden at the Botanical Garden

Took a fast two day trip to Vancouver B.C. recently. Especially seemed fast since we totally forgot that we had even planned to take this little jaunt away.

The forecast was nothing but rain and grey skies, and I packed too quickly and believed I'd spend more time inside peering out at the city reading and writing. As it turned out, I was exhausted and slept way more than I expected. The one full day we had there was actually not totally wet and we did get out an walk around. I managed a nap between outings. The only real writing I did was to copy my addresses from the back of my last journal to the back of my new journal. I held my journal, I held my pen. And, as it turns out, I held my words.

These pictures are from the meditation garden inside the Fall Color Walk at the VanDusen Botanical Gardens. It was a wonderful place of solitude. It held a healing silence. If I lived in the area I would visit often.

the rain has come and it smells so good

It rained all morning--with a sizable BOOM of thunder thrown in for good measure. And yes, the rain smelled so good, and sounded so comforting in that northwest way--but truth be told, I miss summer already. My large ball jars of ice tea, the flowers, warm night with beautiful skies and the standing around outside in birks or flip-flops, whatever your thing is. I am grateful for the sun and warmth but this isn't Arizona, so we knew it would wander away one day. Ah well, that day was bound to come and with it--the rain that smells so good. Welcome back.

reposing

I've been watching out the window as the reclining Buddha has come to be blanketed in tiny white flowers - whose name I cannot recall at this early point of spring... I had to lay down on the patio to take this picture--and the patio was none to thoroughly dry...and the dog was more than slightly interested, and now my ear is more than wet in direct relation to Edward's interest. Today is what I have been waiting for...sun. Can it stay?

We have been wound and wound by the wind and rain this week. The lilac outside my office is worse for the wear. Weary is the word that comes to mind when I look on it. But here at home the lilac is so heavy from rain and equally tossed by the wind. I have gained a wonderful view from the table down stairs that I use for my computer work as it frames the bleeding hearts and lilac. The bleeding heart under the window glistens and shimmers with the rain drops that seem to live on its foliage.

I am almost tired of multiple layers

• My mind is a bit of a jumble...some good-some chaos-some lost things trying to return?
• It is still cold and windy here in Washington
• I am so thankful for my crock pot full simmering with chicken soupy-stew
• A friend dropped off home made bread to go with our quiet evening
• Almost every part of me aches...partly the weather and partly the last few days
• My garden has hopes it will be Spring soon....soonish?
• The lilac tree is heavy with buds and bulbs are up and blooming despite the cold--it's what they do--I just don't know why
• Sad to see my beautiful blue pot with a 3 year-old hardy fuchsia is a swimming pool
• I finished a mystery last night and I get to start a new book tonight! Love it!
• I think my sleep was actually disturbed by the movie we watched last night...The Changeling...very well cast, very well done--very disturbing.

Okay dear blog, sorry I've been scattered lately. I am sure soon things will regain some normalcy around here and I will be more regular and have more energy for being thoughtful. But I know I am not alone in the feeling of depletion these last days...the dragging feeling, the feeling of too much-ness is hanging on many. There are some bright spots here and there. Thankfully.