Life in the Slow Lane

Contemplating life, faith, words, and memories

Another Surprise — July 5, 2019

Another Surprise

In early June, I shared a post with you about a surprise in our garden area. The cosmos plants have grown quite a bit but show no signs of blooming, yet.

Not long after the cosmos started growing, a few other plants with a somewhat different leaf showed up. I mentioned to Bob they looked like marigolds. He responded that the seed packet he picked up said cosmos. If we had marigolds growing, it meant someone made a mistake at the factory.

It appears someone made a mistake. We have our first marigold blossom plus quite a few buds just waiting to unfurl their petals.

At least life hasn’t offered us any bigger surprises than these.

 

Featured image attribution: Rajesh Balouria from Pixabay

Summer Begins? — June 21, 2019

Summer Begins?

As I sit here in my hoodie and long pants, the question on this first day of summer remains, “Summer begins?” For days, we’ve been in a weather cycle of cool temps, scattered drizzles, and no sun until mid-afternoon. Does that sound like summer?

Granted our daisies are blooming. Today Bob found buds on some of our hostas. The geraniums are loaded with blossoms. And believe it or not, our Christmas cactus now residing on our back deck is setting buds. The plants obviously believe summer is here.

I’m sorry, but it doesn’t feel like summer yet. Not long ago we had temps in the upper 90s. We turned our furnace off. The mornings have been crisp and cool, so I’ve kickstarted the furnace to take the edge off.

Summer comes every year. I know that in my mind and heart, but I want to see it, feel it, be outside in it. And in August or September, I’ll likely be begging for a cool down.

You can’t please some folks, can you?

 

 

Image attribution: pixel2013 from Pixabay

Surprises — June 3, 2019

Surprises

Most of us enjoy surprises. Some of us don’t. When Bob and I married, we vowed not to surprise the other at work on birthdays and anniversaries. I should have thought about Valentine’s Day.
 
One year Bob sent me a singing telegram on Valentine’s Day. It came straight to my desk at work. Sung by a Barbershop quartet made up of members from the chorus Bob sang with, I blushed as the center of attention.
 
Spring is full of surprises. One has appeared in the one sunny spot in our front yard. I noticed it a few days ago and mentioned to Bob the leaves unfurling on tiny green stems looked like cosmos. Bob knows I love cosmos.
 
After several such comments, Bob looked at me and said, “Surprise! I planted some cosmos seeds.” What a delightful surprise and beautiful thought my gardening husband shared with me.
 
Image by Jean Degryse from Pixabay 
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