April is a reminder that life is a beautiful, ever-renewing cycle.— E.E. Cummings
I woke this morning to the sound of raindrops on the windows… but it was not the windy, cold rain of March, it was a gentle, warm rain that smelled like spring! I welcomed this gentle rain with open arms… my garden needs the water! The birds loved it as well! The birdsong was a joyous cacophony! There were a plethora of robins in the yards we ambled past… all intent on finding the fattest worm!
A part of me is sort of shocked at turning the page to April this morning… how is this possible? The days are just flying by at a pace I’d like to slow down a bit!
The well eaten crocus bulbs I planted last fall had a lesson for me yesterday… there was a bloom! A good reminder that no matter how many times you are cut down to the ground… don’t give up! Yes, it is a small flower… small but so beautiful. And the bee who came while I took the photo also thought this small blossom had much to offer!
Gotta love a bee photo bombing!
I do have the tiniest bit of a list for April…
I know there will still be plenty of “sweater days” this month, but I am going to start the Great Sweater Wash this month! Starting with the ‘wooliest’ sweaters… You know which ones! Those wintry sweaters that will be too warm even for a chilly April day! Washing one or two sweaters at a time will be much easier than doing the lot all at once!
Pull out my gardening notes from last year to refresh my memory about what worked and what did not work in my patio containers!
Get April’s stitching set up pronto!! (I did not have this on any list last month… sigh) AND set up May’s stitching before May 1st!
Finally… a bit of a deep clean of the cold cellar… it has some things that moved in there when we moved in 10+ years ago, but have not seen the light of day since then! I think it is safe to say they are not needed and so they need to go!
A short list that will take some determination to finish!
What about you? What do you hope to accomplish this month!
April is the kindest month. April gets you out of your head and out working in the garden.
– Marty Rubin
Hello April!
I am so very happy that you are here and it would be nice if you just amble slowly along… key word being slowly!
This month I have some things on my “To Do” list:
Sew up a couple of Toaster Sweatshirts. I have the pattern all traced off, and pinned to one of the fabrics! I need to get that cut out and pin out and cut the second so I can do some Assembly Line Sewing!!
I need to finish up my handspun sweater!! And once I have the Pi Socks done that is moving to the top of my list!
I start PT next week and I am planning on having “homework” which I will be faithful about doing every day! And I am just not even thinking about the Graston Scraping part… ha!
I got some new “trekking shoes” that I want to break in a bit before we head to Erie at the end of this month. Walking has been an “iffy” proposition thanks to my damned hip, but I am going to swap out my “regular Sherman walk” shoes with the new shoes and hope that short daily walks will break them in … enough!
Weeding… yes, the weeds are growing, so I need to spend some time in the garden beds or I will never catch up! But… being outdoors just is the perfect April thing!
It is National Poetry Month and I picked up a couple of poetry books from the library… I am spending the month reading the poetry of Wisława Szymborska… which will be the perfect thing for the month!
There you have it… my ambitious plans for April. What about you? What are you looking forward to this month?
A gush of bird-song, a patter of dew, A cloud, and a rainbow’s warning, Suddenly sunshine and perfect blue– An April day in the morning. ― Harriet Prescott Spofford
Oh, April! You were so amazing and full of so many good things: Blue skies, bird-song, bountiful blooms, and even a birthday!
It was a month with the perfect mix of rain and sun. My garden spent the month waking and growing, and blooming! The forsythia provided a riot of yellow flowers, and the lilac seems to have settled in well and was full of blooms! Why, even the “free” Hyacinth had a bloom this year! However, your ending in Michigan was the best!
The weekend was full of all kinds of selfish pursuits! There was sewing and reading (and not one stitch of knitting! What??? Really, not one single stitch!)
But, today these words are filling my mind, the absolute truth of them echoing in my head!
“The sun was warm but the wind was chill. You know how it is with an April day. When the sun is out and the wind is still, You’re one month on in the middle of May. But if you so much as dare to speak, a cloud come over the sunlit arch, And wind comes off a frozen peak, And, you’re two months back in the middle of March.”
– Robert Frost, Two Tramps in Mud Time, 1926
So, silently I welcome April – hoping to not encourage the clouds and wind to blow us back into March!
There were 10 days with Michelle_GD and her Just Five Things. This brief but spectacular (to coin a phrase from PBS Newshour) class has become my favorite “re-focus-er” She manages to cut away the clutter of the day and focus you in on the simplest of things, but in that simplicity – incredible growth happens. Just Five Things continued for me through the remainder of the month. I have incorporated her process into my meditation time. While, I am not doing three check-ins every day – I have found it to be a stunning way to start the day.
The joy from this class was multiplied by having so many friends in ‘class’ with me – and a huge thanks to Mary for the gift of the class. It was so lovely sharing bits of ourselves in class.
There was also the joy of my son really finding his niche at work and finding success (he was #1 in his district in March and April) And, April saw him purchase his first home!
There were some knitting successes, but there were also some knitting failures. Why is this on the joy list? Well, learning through failure is always joyful. It is as important to cheer yourself on through failure as it is when you succeed, perhaps it is even more important!
April brought my gardens back to life – from the rhubarb, to the raspberries, to the strawberries (which are now growing fruit!) There is much joy in seeing things bloom and grow after a long winter’s nap!
There was also Easter, and singing and ringing (in the Bell Choir at church…) I am thankful that these small things bring such joy to my life!
