four weddings and ...

we went to a wedding saturday afternoon. let's just say that you'll never see this one on my list of all-time favorite weddings. we also went to a wedding earlier in the month and that one was at least interesting. the groom is a cowboy. his friends and relatives are cowboys. they were dressed in jeans so dark and crisp i don't know how they avoided injury. there was no table for gifts but there was for hats. it was full. some sitting up and some turned over. and kerchiefs. bright, intricately folded and layered kerchiefs. i saw a belt buckle the size of a bread plate - how did that woman sit without risk to internal organs?? and it was a good wedding.
my son and daughter had very different weddings but for lovely and sweet - they'll continue to hold the top spot on my list of favorites.

getting back in the swing of things

i had a phone call from a dear friend in pennsylvania tonight. it's always fun to catch up with the smith clan. which numbers 18 with the arrival of gracie!!
we missed a call from jacob the other day. i left him a message in return. we always look forward to his calls.
aidan called sunday.
it's been a slow week. i spent a few days down with bronchitis. i'm feeling better but not quite good. let's just say that i've done a lot of planning this past week. which did lead to the ordering of some plants today. i also looked at the site for my compost pile - hoping the ground would be soft enough to place some stakes - no go. so i'm back to a 5 gal bucket for awhile but i have a plan. i have a plan for the frustrating corner with the mailboxes that i hate to mow around. i have a plan for the cement block wall. from 2 different directions. i have plans that will keep me busy for quite some time. and that's just outside. i also have plans for curtains for my sister, some pillows. plans to copy some pictures of my dad from his childhood. plans to finish a book before i go to work tomorrow. plans - well - you get the idea....ah for a bit of motivation.

a long weekend

i spent the weekend with my mom and sister in central iowa. it was a good trip. my sister - a self-proclaimed city girl is thriving on an acreage complete with cats, dogs and horses. i'll be making some curtains for the bedroom that she and mike have been working on. mike does beautiful woodwork. very meticulous. and oh! the closet he's building....
i also did several projects at my mother's. we got some shopping in, went through some old photos, enjoyed some cheesecake. it was cold. just plain cold. dropped in for what i though would be a good visit with my mother-in-law but it was snowing and i wasn't sure how far, how severe the snow would be so i left sooner than planned. i did make a stop - snow or no snow - at a shop in carroll. i look forward to stopping there whenever i pass through that way. i found some fun stakes (on sale no less!!) to add to my garden this spring. among the irises. spring will come.
charlie was glad to see me return home. tim, too.
unfortunately i'm home today with broncitis. a slight tickle in the back of my throat yesterday at 3:00, fever, chills, cough, aches by 10!! so a quick trip to the doctor this morning, medication and lots of sleep.

snow day

it started snowing sometime in the night and continues at this point. i'm off today. garden club meets this afternoon so it won't be an all-day-at-home-day and i'll need to use the shovel at some time. i finished the last 'book of evidence' for the garden club award categories over the weekend so i'll show those at our meeting and get them in the mail to the appropriate chairs for judging. the guidelines were followed but never having seen, let alone done one, it's hard to know if i got it right. guess we'll find out. planning for a nice supper. some computer time. i have a birthday card to finish. friday will find me on the road to visit family in iowa so there are things i'll need to have caught up on this end e.g. laundry and groceries for tim, as well as prearations for the trip - gas money, packing etc so those details are on my list for today....and i have a book calling my name. i'm trying to ignore it because the whole day could get away from me if i answer the call......

fragrances

we had company friday night so the house was full of the smells of good things cooking. we went to a wedding yesterday and the profusion of perfumed guests was almost overwhelming. this morning i woke to the aroma of bacon and waffles. i would say, based on my own unscientific observations prompted by the aroma of fabric softener as charlie and i walk at a variety of times on any given day, that more laundry gets done on weekends around here than weekdays. for a few more weeks we'll enjoy the smell of wood smoke from a neighbor. as the weather changes charlie and i will encounter the aroma of grilling when we walk. (some people eat better than others.) bushes and trees in bloom. fresh mown grass. lawn treatments. sawdust or paint as people tend to projects that have waited for warm weather. my own projects are beginning to take shape and i'm getting excited - looking forward to the longer, warmer days.