The Unfamiliar Familiar

 A journey down a familiar path

Yet how unfamiliar the familiar can be

  In each passing day new colors appear

As the colors of yesterday fade away

 The setting sun's spotlight shines on the smallest members

While illuminating the blended shades of the company as a whole

Springing forth a fresh sense of wonder within me

Ready for Mother's Day

Inside the "Geranium House"

The warmer weather seems to be holding fast as the busiest Saturday of the year approaches: the Saturday before Mother's Day. Sometimes I feel like we have been preparing for this day all season. Tasks focus more and more on deadheading and trimming and shaping making everything look its best. Annually, Mother's Day seems to mark the last weekend before the almanac's last frost date. May's uncertainty always brings some risk for planters. I hope the frost stays at bay for all of those dedicated flower and vegetable garden enthusiasts who have been itching to make their gardens a magical place.

Ashley watering the blooming azaleas

Wisteria blooming on the pergola 

Reflections Part 2: Be Messy Journal

The Be Messy Journal has once again reached outside the pages. I decided to venture out to my favorite nature trail around Stover's Dam to focus on some of the nature assignments in the journal. With 4 different colored crayons and a charcoal pencil, my mission was to get at least 4 rubbings of different kinds of tree bark.

I started walking the loop trail with eyes open to seeing any interesting treebank texture and patterns. One caught my eye so I place the age of my journal on top of the tree bark and started ,y rubbing. As I was finishing, a man walking his dog approached me and asked, "Hey, what are you doing?" So I explained what I was doing and we chatted a little. He asked me why and I briefly explained. "oh interesting," was the parting phrase as we both continued walking in our original directions.

I stopped a few more times before reaching the other side of the lake. As the trail is a circuit it isn't uncommon to pass some of the same people twice walking in the opposite direction. I rounded a curve and once again I saw he man and his dog. As we passed each other he left me know that "there is a really great tree coming up on the left" and that I "should check out its bark." Surprised, I smiled and thanked him as we both continued on our way.

As I finished my hike, I was so integued by the encounter. As a lover of trees and nature in general I found it so fascinating how by stopping and taking notice I caused someone else to do the same; to look at the land around them with a new pair of eyes...even for just one lap. Thanks BMJ.