Choir in Spring

Day 98

I am thankful for choir music.   We sang songs today at our spring workshop that suited us so very well.  At the same time the music was interesting and the words were powerful.   Christ's passion and resurrection are not new to us but because they are central to our faith the music that leads us to mark this time in the church year leads us to the core of our belief in new ways. 

Lavender, in a flower bed at church:

From a purple leaf plum at church: 

White and Pink on Sticks

Day 97

I am thankful for avocados.  I am very thankful for avocados that only cost 50 cents.  Yum.

It's surprisingly cold here today (well, cool really).   There is a cold front moving in and we should get another bit of rain in the morning.  Clouds were building late this afternoon.   Rain is good!  Snow in the mountains is better!   It was lovely at lunch time.  I walked 3 laps during Mileage Club.  Then, after the kids were off to their general ed. classes I let my assistants talk me into two more laps.  My legs are tired but it's good to know I can do it.  A little more every week!

I remembered to take the scarf outside and take a photo today.  I'm estimating the length at 46 inches.  At this rate I'll only need 1/2 of the next skein to finish it.  I'm still enjoying the yarn, the loom, and the pattern.

This is about half its length:

 A closer view of the yarn.  This is fairly true to the color:

Blossoms, blossoms, blossoms!  I think I should name my house The Apricot Inn and start taking reservations for a "pick your own" B and B.   Every day there have been more and more and more blossoms on the tree.  I found a wasps' nest (good wasp, not paper wasp) under the eaves.  The bug man says they are very good at pollinating and don't care for people.  Once the blossoms are gone they move on and I can rinse the nest remains away with a hose.  See what I mean?  More and More!

Mayhem of sticks view:

My favorite little group:

Goodness

Day 96

I am thankful for 90 minute spontaneous chats....with a dear friend.  It somehow seems we don't have enough time but then somehow we did.  I am grateful for this friend of 24 years.  God is good.

If I ever doubt the gift of undeserved abundance I will have this to remind me:

There are a LOT of blossoms on this tree!

Hopefully I didn't put the first photo jinx on this little bitty beginning of an apricot.  I took a photo last year of the first fruit I spotted and it didn't make it.   Hopefully this one will grow to ripeness.

Blossoms a'poppin'

Day 95

I am thankful that I had time this afternoon for a grand pause between work and evening.  I needed time to sit and regroup and there it was.

Knitting is zipping along.  The current scarf is now a little over 40 inches with just a bit of the first skein to go.   I'm quicker now, making different mistakes, catching most of them, and better at fixing them.  Still, I'm often surprised when I look over what I've knitted how I've managed to goof something in a way I hadn't before. 

Rain was in our forecast today but the % chance was so low I didn't think we'd see any.  Lovely surprise to hear rain on the patio roof at the end of the day.

The apricot tree continues to bud and bloom.  I thought at the end of last season I'd lost much more of the tree to disease but it's poppin' with blossoms.

Adjusting

Day 94

I am thankful for compassionate co-workers and students.  I developed a migraine this morning and everyone in the room was fine with half the lights out and me making whatever adjustments I needed.  Meds got the worst of it but I've been light sensitive all day.

Rumors abound regarding the state of the offer by district on pay cuts, furloughs and such.  I suspected that first offer was more bluff than substance.  It's what district would do if there were no union to protect teacher jobs and salaries.   Some classified employees are reporting much, much smaller pay cuts on the table to their union.  Typically, in the end, everyone gets the same deal.  Now if everyone would just settle down and let our negotiations team do their job I think we'd all be more peaceful.  

We've had a tiny bit of wet today with very pretty skies.  I don't think my photos do the day justice.

Wordle of the Week

Wordle 

It's a Monday

Day 93

Happy Monday!  Happy March!  I am thankful that I have a job and will have a job next year.  I am thankful that bell choir is on Monday and always makes Mondays easier as I look forward to ringing fun.  The purple leaf is more leaf than blossom now and the apricot has blossoms poppin' out all over.   June, mark your calendars for June, usually after the 2nd week.

It may not look like much but there are blossoms all over this tree: