It Looked Like Snow

I caught movement outside this morning that looked like falling snow.  I think I might have panicked a bit.  I looked harder only to discover that it's cottonwood season.  There are a bunch of gigantic old trees downwind releasing as much fluff into the wind as they could.  It collected in the edges of the lawn.  Still looks like snow.  This afternoon wind and rain arrived so maybe all of the remaining fluff in the trees got either blown away or soaked.  I hope so, the stuff gets sucked into the air conditioner and clogs up the air intake so I have to haul the hose around and spray it off.

The poppies in the garden are starting to bloom.  I was glad to see the little orange fists of petals peeking out of the bud cases this morning.  I hope they stayed furled so that the wind didn't blow them to bits this evening.


 



The first zinnia bloomed.  I should have gotten seeds to sow along with the plants so there'd be more flowers for bees and butterflies.  Maybe the next time I go to the grocery I'll remember to find some seeds.

More rosebuds are opening too.  I love this time of year.



 




I finished the first mitten today.  It looks long but I think it's just skinny.  It's too short for me so I'm hoping it'll fit a tween or small adult, that's what I'm shooting for.

10 June--Barbara Malcolm, Tropical Obsession. 

          Like frozen fireworks, the red and yellow bromeliad thrust its fleshy leaves outward from the center of the plant. The merest glisten of the pre-dawn rain shone in the center cup like life-giving blood. All around, as far as Mona could see in every direction, were dry ochre ground, crumbly rock, and cactus. Only this one plant held out the hope that there might be life surviving in this place.

          Mona cursed the impulse that had pulled her out of bed at dawn and convinced her to drive into the park to watch the sunrise away from civilization. She had felt brave, even intrepid, as she dressed in cotton khaki slacks, a navy tank, and her never-worn hiking shoes. Taking pride in not being a complete fool she stopped in the shadowy kitchen to fill a couple of two-liter bottles with water and tucked them in her backpack with a tangerine or two, just in case. Be prepared, her Boy Scout dad would intone as he slid his official BSA jackknife into his pocket. She had tried, Dad, she really had.

        Knowing she wasn't in too much danger of being lost on the only road through the park across the old plantation, she drove boldly into the silver light of dawn. The muffled pop of the right front tire brought her to a stop. The discovery that some opportunist had made off with the jack and lug wrench from behind the seat left her in tears, but tears of frustration, only frustration, she told herself.  She jammed her boonie hat down on her head, pullout out a tangerine and bottle of water, and sat in the shade of the truck to wait for the first Good Samaritan to come along.

Every morning I do a little yoga, have for years, so this morning I snapped a picture of my yoga spot with my yoga feet on the yoga mat.  Every morning I think I'll skip it but every morning I get out the mat, call up the app, and get to yog-ing.  It makes me feel good.
--Barbara