Gearing Up

Despite the frigid wintry blizzards slamming the Eastern coast, we're doing fairly well here. The roses and fruit trees are waking up and baby deer are emerging from the forests. While we are still in the grips of our rainy season, the sun has been out more often this winter than in the last three years. A few days ago I pruned back all the roses and the fruit trees. Normally this would have been appropriate, but I am left wondering whether I waited a little too long. Nevertheless, I did a good job out there and it's a pleasant awakening of that part of myself.

Not that it didn't come at a price... with the success last year of our front lawn garden, I pretty much ignored most of the rose-herb garden. I paid attention solely to the edibles and let the rest of it run wild, which in Western Washington means the blackberries ran wild. The invasive variety that borders our property makes tasty blackberries that we're grateful to have, but one cane can grow twenty feet long and three inches in a year. I had my work cut out for me as I approached the thicket, and just as I was finishing, one of those suckers latched onto my neck. I had to cut a portion of it from the longer cane and then walk into the house to see what I was doing in order to remove it without gross and bloody injury. My daughter's face was priceless when I asked her, "Honey would you go and get the scissors please?"

Finally though, I am happy because I am getting this delivered sometime soon:



The gravy train has stopped, as my friends' supply of free HP laptop bags has dwindled and the last one I had has now sprung a hole. One per year of heavy use--- time to actually purchase a bag that is meant for the paces I put them through!