Spring has lasted a long time this year. Possibly because so many things that were going on in April and May made time seem to stand still. Hazel's unexpected and rapid decline. Two drives halfway across the state that each meant several days of physical recovery to get back to baseline levels of pain and fatigue. A fostered rescue dog who was here for 10 very unfortunately goat-targeting days and 10 gruelingly sleep-fractured nights. And days of rain. Lots and lots of rain.
This year I waited so long to hear the first chirping of spring peepers during evening chores that I finally wondered if my increasing hearing loss meant I was simply unable to hear them: a thought that immediately led to scheduling a new hearing test. By the time the test rolled around - yesterday, in fact, and my hearing has indeed deteriorated further - the peepers were here and I had heard them, at least faintly, while walking the fosterdog at night.
The period of the annual leafing out of deciduous tree species felt delightfully long. It seemed as though a great many weeks passed between the first hints of color high up in the maple branches, and the pointillistic effect of entire mixed-species forests beginning to leaf out; one of my most treasured views each year.
But now the bloodroot flowers - which tell me that Winter is over - are just a memory, and the bloodroot leaves have grown into their remarkable sizes and shapes that seem just as fanciful and unlikely no matter how many times I see it happen. Jack-in-the-Pulpit has popped up in expected and unexpected places. The sugar maple leaves are still drooping a bit but are already far past the softest stage that always makes me think of the most delicate leather.
And two days ago we arrived at the point where looking out any window in my little house creates the feeling of being submerged in a wide sea of trees and green foliage. A bit like a kelp forest, but much brighter and more varied. I always look forward to this, even though it also means that the structural details of the forest canopy become largely invisible again until leaf fall, many months away. Something lost, something gained. Isn't that always the way? Maybe not always. Maybe just when we're lucky.
Now how are things in your neck of the woods?
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It sounds like a hectic time for you. Sorry to hear the dog didn't play well around goats. And that you had trips that took it out of you.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope things get quieter and less painful in every way.
No idea why that posted twice.
ReplyDeleteI think you really, really meant it ;) Thanks, Liz. I hope all is continuing to go well with you - I've been offline for the past couple of weeks, so catching up with blogs may take a while.
DeleteI'm sorry for the dog difficulties and especially the sleepless nights. Boy the rain! I've finally started to weed the gardens - they were out of control! I love how the hills around here from a distance are all a light yellow green.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sally. And the rain! I've been waiting and waiting to plant, and suddenly there is a jungle to get through first.
DeleteWe seem to be having a nice long spring here too, which is exceedingly welcome because summer's heat is never looked forward to. But that's just part of living in the south so I try not to complain about it.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear about your hearing loss. And the other things. Getting older is the pits.
Beats the alternative!
DeleteSorry the dog didn't work out but the goats need to come first. Spring has been very backward here - there was a frost warning again last night . Traditionally we are able to plant outdoors on the 24th of May weekend but I doubt that will be happening this year because it's still too cool. The RC still has his plants in pots that he brings in every night just to be sure.
ReplyDeleteIt's been in the low 40s here lately, after a week in the humid 70s. I'm enjoying the reprieve from mosquitoes.
DeleteIt sounds like you wore yourself out, Quinn. That dog, unfortunate indeed. Training is a lot of work, and it seems your foster needs a lot of it. I love my boys, but exhausting, yes, quite often! But they're learning
ReplyDeleteSo very sorry about Hazel. I have been so busy I had gotten far behind reading blogs or anything else. And then I miss important news from you.
It's a long story about the dog, but from the start it was a foster - not an adoption - for a reason. I've trained many dogs over the years, and despite the several issues, if she had been kind to, or at least had ignored, the cats, I would have been very tempted to commit to gradually modifying several of her behaviors and rearranging pretty much everything here to try to give her a good life. And I did some of that rearranging even as a foster home. But I don't think it's fair to try to "train out" something that is an inherent quality of a breed (in this case, Great Pyrenees extensive barking, and especially at night), and realistically it would only have been a matter of time until she dug under a fence and got in with the goats or else off the property, either of which would likely have ended in tragedy. Ultimately, I was able to provide the Shelter with a lot of information they did not have, which will hopefully help them find the right adoptive home for her.
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