The Firebird, Renewal of Life

Once again, springtime beauty coming our way. I love my job when it comes to driving to places, I don't typically travel to. and seeing gorgeous views such as this. 

As I think about all the time it must have taken to plant each daffodil bulb, I have to give kudos to the people who accomplished such a feat. The entire yard is nothing but ground cover greenery and the daffodils shooting up from the ground. What a lovely way to bring such beauty to your yard and cut down on the yard work. Or, at least in the spring. 

I was wondering what happens during the other three seasons when the daffodil bulbs are not in bloom, but the ground seems to be covered in grass underneath the bulbs. Okay, so you have a couple of seasons in between the bloom time that you have to cut your grass. One season, winter, is not a time when we cut lawns typically, so that leaves fall and summer. Summer months tend to lead to drier grass, and this means the lack of growth. Could it possibly mean just mowing in the fall? Great idea. Hmm ... I'm now looking at my front yard mess. 

***

Business was so slow today, Wednesday, March 11, so I chose to do a bunch of yard work. Wow, it looks so much better, but I am paying the price for doing too much in one fell swoop. My hands hurt, my wrists are aching, along with my back. Weed eating is a nasty business but somebody's got to do it. 

We rent our home. The "grass" we have out front does tend to grow rather high when the weather is right. Now, most people would grab a lawn mower, but I can't. We have lava rocks surrounding a large stump underneath the grass, and a ton of rocks, cement, and of course, leftover crap the previous renters left. The yard was clean enough, trust me, but the items I mentioned are deep within the grounds. If I were to purchase a mower instead of a weed eater, I would be dodging rocks, wood, and probably mower blade bits and pieces. Too dangerous. 

Terry asked what we should get when we moved in. I was the one who asked for a weed whacker. Much easier and I can protect myself a bit better than the with a mower. So, weed eater it is. 

The issue we have with that gadget is it does become a bit heavy after a while. Could be because my arms are weak now that I'm an out of shape old lady, but I would like to believe that it is simply heavy. 

Once I completed the yard, my husband asked me to come to him. He told me how hard I worked today and that he would love to take me out to dinner because he did not want me cooking. Sounded great to me! Off to Denny's we went. 

Terry wanted a Slam breakfast meal, and I went for the bacon, cheese, avocado burger with fries. Unfortunately, what I thought was allergies coming on surfaced as just plain old being sick as dinner moved on. Got home and felt like straight up dog doo-doo. Ugh. 

I just got over a cold too. Finally got my voice back after about two weeks, and here we go again. The voice is faltering, I'm coughing from a tickle in my throat, and I'm hot. I rarely came down with illnesses while in Eugene and Springfield, but now? It seems like every few months I'm coming down with something. I take vitamins and eat healthy enough. Actually, healthier than how I ate in Eugene. Maybe it's all of the processed shit in the food that kept me healthier. Who knows at this point. 

***

Speaking of illnesses, Terry's thumb grew the skin back that the doctor cut away. It was infected and horribly so. That is coming back to normalcy. His knee? He had his physical therapy today. The therapist informed him that he had quite a range of motion for being three months in. Not bad for completely tearing the tendon from the kneecap and then pulling the ligaments out of there too. Great job in healing himself, at least so far. 

He is still in the brace with ACE bandage coverup and not allowed to come out of the brace. He must keep that knee straight for now. But it's getting there. 

He can stand. He can walk. The fur babies adore him. It's all good. 

Why let a little thing like tearing your tendons and ligaments off your kneecap mess with you? You still have plenty of life to live and babies to love. 

***

Well, friends, our environment has changed. Oh, for the better, albeit what it is. Pollution? God, yes. But warmer weather? Oh, baby, yeah!

Our area is coming alive again. Rebirth of flowers, plants, trees ... it is all nothing short of a natural miracle. I love to watch the landscape explode with color. Warmth glides through the lovely floral scented air, making it known that spring is here once more. It's all about the spring now. It's a perfect, beautiful thing. 

Speaking of spring, my wonderful, sweet man once again came home with a monthly anniversary bouquet of flowers. This time, it was all about the spring. Gorgeousness in a planter filled with tulips and primroses of varying colors. You can't help but smile when looking at a grouping of flowers of such beautiful colors. What a gift Mother Nature has given us once again. I feel blessed. 

 

Once all of these lovelies have bloomed, I can transplant them outside where they will, hopefully, live on, as primroses are typically perennials. The bulbs of the tulips can also be planted to return to us again next year. 

I found out that the tulip is a Darwin hybrid tulip. That feels like a fitting name considering it is a plant that grows in the area. Thank you once again, sweet man! I absolutely love my monthly flower selection you share with me. Oh, and happy, happy anniversary baby. I love you more and more each day. 

***

The wonderful warmer temps of 80 degrees for this week have also brought with it more shedding of our pup. Togo, our Siberian husky, has begun his coat blow of the first six months. Huskies have two times per year they blow their coat. Once when the colder weather is approaching, and one, of course, as the warm weather hits. Each shedding period last for six months. Yes, daily coat drops. 

The coat drops end up on the couch, the chair, the bed, carpet, our clothing, the car, and even unfathomable places that leave you scratching your head. I have a tight-fitting phone cover to protect my phone, as do most people. I never remove the cover and yet, low and behold, as I'm working and paying closer attention to my phone, there is his hair, behind the shields of said cover. My phone cover is clear enough to show every single hair he shares with me. I've always wondered how the hell he gets that fur in between my phone and my cover. One of life's mysteries. 

The fur wars mean every six months I bring out the heavy artillery. One, I bring out R2D2. 

Like the loveable little guy in the Star Wars films, my R2D2 seems to save the day with the best of them. My six-horsepower baby wants to tear the fabric right off the couch, the carpet off the floor, and the skin right off the dog. Yes, I do vacuum Togo once in a while. He really doesn't mind. 

Professional groomers use these types of vacuums to blow dry the huskies that come into the shop. Groomers are fond of the three to four horsepower units. Terry and I wanted a stronger vacuum, so we brought home little R2D2, a six horsepower, beloved silver can on wheels. It works and works very well. 

After each walk every day, I have been brushing Togo a bit. Each day, I create a second dog on my front porch. 

This is after a three-minute brush job on the dog, using a shedding brush. I combed through his fur later again and got another handful of hair about this size. I stop and brush him in the alley sometimes and that has become hilarious. There is typically fur flying in the breeze throughout the alleyway, creating a "snowfall." So, if you ever think you might want a Siberian husky, rethink that unless you are willing to do nothing but brush, comb, and vacuum a dog, your home, and don't even get me started on the car. 

***

Mallory came by on Monday, March 16, for a day of completing all of the episodes of our show that there are for the time being. The show is Bridgerton. The fun was had. Tears, laughter, anger, and plenty of veggies eaten during the day. We are all ready for next year's season. Bring it on!

***

Get ready for that warm weather, friends! Flip flops here we come! Until our next post, please take care. Enjoy the season and be sure to relax and take time for yourself. Know you are appreciated by us. We do appreciate you reading the blog. Thank you so much. 

Photo taken by Vicki in 2014, on the Oregon coast. 

Terry & Vicki Macrae

Two old people enjoying life