New Look for Spring

Yes, I feel that spring is coming soon--thanks Puxatawny Phil!  With spring comes rain, and we've had our fair share of that the past few days, but, with rain, comes a new garden.  I need to start on that today, so, while I'm out with the chickens today, I'm going to plant some eggshells and sprout some seeds.

The last week has been awful.  One of my chickens died--always a sad event.  But the worst was yet to come.  My beloved Uncle Anthony--Tony--died on February 9, my youngest brother's birthday.  I haven't been to New Orleans since Katrina. Perhaps, one day soon, I will go.  Katrina was, I think, ultimately responsible for my uncle's decline.  Before Katrina, he was a vital, energetic man.  After Katrina, he seemed to give up.  I can understand that, but I am sorry for it.

Sunday morning, a thunderstorm hit here with a fury.  Lightning, thunder, heavy rain.  The chicken runs were all mud, the feed turned mushy; we were all cranky.  As often happens at my house, the electricity went out.  While I was without power, a tree limb fell on the telephone/Internet line.  I spend most of Sunday afternoon and part of Monday morning without the home phone or Internet.  This is just the situation that calls for a cell phone and one of the few times I will use it.  For me, a cell phone is useless.  It's nice to have when I need help on the road, or when the home phone goes down, but, otherwise, it's an expensive annoyance.

AT&T managed to fix the phone line by 9am or so on Monday, and I was back to business as usual.  I'll be honest--I didn't want to work at all during the Mardi Gras Holiday.  I just wanted to sleep and/or watch TV.  Thanks to my hefty work ethic, I powered through the ennui and graded/returned assignments.  That's the true definition of "discipline"--doing what you don't want to do because you must.

Today, more grading--always grading.  But, this afternoon, my heart belongs to the garden.  And that's where it needs to be as I remember my uncle, whose funeral is today.  I'm sorry I'm not there, but I will dedicate my efforts to making the garden a beautiful place, just for him.