Thursday, April 4, 2013

After the Whirlwind

For the past three weeks our home and that of our daughter and her family, a mile down the road, have been a reunion point for family and friends.
There is great joy in welcoming those we love.
Celebratory meals have been prepared and shared.
At times the cacaphony of laughter, talk, voices tumbling one over the other, have been almost over-whelming.  There have been tears choked back at partings, hugs, the wrench of leave-taking, the blessings for safe journeys.
With the dust now settling, I find, not surprisingly that I have a lot to process, words to remember, faces, familiar gestures, stories to be sorted and stored away rather in the manner of the laundered sheets which have been whisked from beds to clothesline to linen cupboard.
With the last guests waved off on Wednesday morning J. and I drove to the next county for the discount shopping offered one day per month to those over 60.
We spoke little during the drive, the silence settling about us like dust motes that rearrange after one passes through a room.
Home again, lunch eaten and the groceries put away, I wandered outside while J. betook himself to an appointment with the chiropractor [an appointment long deferred--stubborn man!]
I was surprised to note that in spite of the chilly days and nights of a reluctant spring, blossoms are opening on the two young pear trees.
These are a semi-dwarf variety of the vintage Kieffer Pear which has stood for over a century in our north meadow.


Pebbles the Old Horse, who has seemed to languish unhappily these past months, has been finding ways to get out of her fenced area.
J. has tightened the fence, ramped up the voltage.
He has returned her to her enclosure.
She follows him willingly enough and is out again almost before he has returned to the house.
I feel that all this green feed can't be good for her, but what is one to do?

I decided to walk the fence-line looking for a sagging wire or a place where she had knocked out a post.
Charlie and Bobby McGee paced along with me.

As I trudged around the back of the barn Pebbles watched, looking over her shoulder.

Near the top garden, Nellie crouched over a mole's tunnel, his 'arms' stretched downward into the soft earth which he had excavated.  This morning he brought us a huge dead mole which has been left just beyond the sliding doors, going soggy in the desultory rain of the day.
We have had another quiet day, spent mostly inside--J. by the living-room fire watching TV and nursing his sore shoulder.
I kindled a fire downstairs and made good use of the afternoon stitching down quilt bindings.
We are tired. a bit 'let-down,' waiting for the normal pattern of our days to re-emerge; hoping for warmer, drier weather, and the enthusiasm of gardening to revive us.

9 comments:

  1. I hope J's shoulder mends now he's been to the Chiro though it may mean another visit if my experiences of "leaving things" are anything to go by! I hope you can both get back into your familiar rhythm soon, especially with the enjoyable out of doors jobs. Mind you, if your spring is as cold as ours, you will stay huddled round the fire with a good book!

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  2. What a wonderful family time you have had.
    As for Pebbles ...I know nothing about horses but animals often hanker after things to make them feel better ...especially when an old one.
    Had to smile at Nellie with his paws down the hole ....lucky you, to recieve his pressy too.xx

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  3. I do wish we had some grass here! Poor Trigger hasn't tasted grass since last summer. Pebbles looks such a sweet horse.

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  4. I did smile at Pebbles determination. She reminds me of my old dog, who is so stubborn and set in her ways and it appears, totally without conscience!

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  5. It's hard to get back into your routine after a time of gathering with those you love. Just take it all slowly, tuck those memories into your hearts. Hope the rain lets up so that you can get out and garden and I hope J's shoulder will soon be feeling better.

    Love and hugs to both of you ~ FlowerLady

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  6. As always, loved hearing what you are doing, even if it's a bit melancholy right now.
    Lillian

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  7. Long winter for us too, I know the south doesn't have much of a winter, but this has been a strange one. We're still running about 20 degrees below normal and when it's not cold it's rainy, Mac stands at the window like a little boy anxious to get out.

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  8. Could sure use Nellie's mole catching prowess here! Our neighbor's horses are out in their pasture enjoying the green and sunshine this morning.

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  9. I know that feeling after the wonderful gathering of family and friends has come and gone...definitely a bit of a let-down. But there are the precious memories. Hope you find where Pebbles is getting out - maybe it's just Spring fever!

    Blessings,
    Dianne

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