Away from Home

Dad and TJ, watching a movie

Monday was gorgeous, with sunny skies and lovely spring-like temperatures. I had too much to do inside in the morning and then I spent the rest of the day down below the mountain working on the hardware store accounting project. Really hoping to get it done this week; the young lady accountant is catching on fast and we're done with the hardest part.


Forsythia Hedge

I went around and took a couple of pictures of the progress of spring. The forsythia out by the apple tree is blooming, and billowing gold branches rustled in the lazy breeze. I disliked the gaudy color of forsythia for years and years, but now I welcome it after a long winter. Sometimes it tries to bloom in January, the silly stuff. Like the quince, the birds eat the blasted buds when frost comes and bites it back.


Old Daffodils

The early daffodils are blooming. These bulbs were planted by someone who lived here before I did, maybe generations ago. Although this house is only a little over one hundred years old, another house stood on the property, probably fifty feet or so closer to the creek. The daffodils here are small, lightly scented and of a much deeper color than the modern ones I planted when I moved here. I love seeing them when they come up, and I think of the many women who lived here before me. Some I know, the lovely young bride who was married here that died in childbirth, a mother of thirteen who was the wife of a minister, my father's mother who was not always happy here, my mother as a young wife. Each made a garden, out of necessity to provide for her family, but some one or more planted flowers to cheer her days. With the help of some fellow bloggers, we tracked the probable name of these daffodils as campernelle, an old variety from the 1600s. There is a doubled form of this flower, which is also here.

During the night Monday I heard the roar of the wind and the thunder of rain on the roof. Rain has been rare this spring, and the torrents that fell were welcome. I got up to warm temperatures but the day cooled quickly, and by the time I got back home the wind felt harsh and bitter.

I spent the day yesterday on the road with Patrick County. The Virginia Tourism Corporation invited us down for an orientation seminar to let us know what VTC is doing for the state regarding tourism. Some impressive stuff going on, with some amazing and intelligent people working hard to promote tourism with the new initiatives that are happening in Southwestern Virginia. We had a lovely trip down and back, although I was really tired when we got back to Stuart. The group of small business people that traveled together are all very unique in their viewpoints and it was fun for me to be with them. I'm alone by choice so much these days that a little outside energy is good for me.

March winds are blowing again this morning, ripping at flowers and shivering bare branches. A typical spring; warm one day and cold the next. The dogs are having their romp inside this morning; Lily didn't appreciate the wind at all when we went outside earlier. She'll spend the day curled up on the couch, while TJ coaxes her off occasionally for play.