tuesday morning

Welcome sunshine. Yesterday was very cloudy and had me feeling much the same. It wasn't until late afternoon that I noticed the first glimmers of brightness breaking through. The temperature began to rise as did my spirits. And so this morning, I was happy to see that the trend continues, which is imperative to my good mood.

Yesterday, when I tried to get cheerier, I went to run some errands, only to find that as hard as I tried to be friendly and nice, no one else was trying. Some days, it feels like everyone in this town is grumpy. Chris says that perhaps its the I'm-so-tired-of-this-weather thing. It brings to mind the way people begin to act in Houston in late September. Lethargic, short-tempered and well, nasty. That would be the southern version of the I'm-so-tired-of-this-weather thing. (Unfortunately, many of them are sitting in hot cars and carry concealed handguns.) Heat or cold, it's all the same.

So I welcome the warmth of the day and am quite prepared to put on my bib overalls, run to the garden center and load up my little orange bug with plants, grass seed and yard art.

And though I usually thumb up my nose at yard art, this year I will have lots of chimes, a bird bath and yes, the notorious yard gnome.

I have always loved those little elfs with wheelbarrows or lounging by a ceramic daisy, but thought them a little too kitschy to put in the yard. Stepford, you know. But now that I am semi-anonymous and don't really care what people think, (see previous posts), I may have a whole slew of them. Kitschy or not, I have an unexplained affinity for them, and have chosen a few choice spots in the yard in which they will proudly stand, sit or recline amid the wild things.

As wild things go...I am somewhat unfamiliar with the flora here. Not sure what is a weed and what has been purposely planted. This poses somewhat of a problem. One thing I do know is that the little purple flowers that have popped up all over the yard and that Steve says grow wild should not ever be mowed down...but I can see no way around it. And the dandelions are running rampant. A dilemma for me, since I know they are a weed, but I love the way they brighten up the world each spring.

Dandelions were the source of one of my favorite meditations. Whenever I felt like the weight of the world was bearing down on me, I would close my eyes and imagine a dandelion turned to seed. Then I would watch myself blow the seeds into the air and as they were carried away to parts unknown, the pressure of my challenges would float away, too. My old friend, Randy used to remind me of this little meditation when I was having a really bad day at work. He would pop in my office, see my stress and say..."dandelions." I miss you, old friend. Hope things are good for you on the other side.

Today will be good. I choose it. And I will find the perfect gnome companions for my soon to be kitschy yard. What will the neighbors say? I don't care. And perhaps it will coax a smile on their tired-of-winter faces.