Oh Wind, That Sings So Loud a Song

My wind chimes serenaded me with sweet and constant melody most of the afternoon. The strong east wind spoke, only a day prematurely, of “March coming in like a lion.” Dry leaves, carefully raked into neat rows only a few days ago, danced with the wind until exhausted, then fell to the ground, scattered in disarray. Early in the day, a sky-watcher would have seen only a few shards of blue peeking through scudding clouds.

As I write this at twilight, the air is still. The clouds have gone, the sky overhead colored with only the ghost of their silver linings. The afternoon's brilliant sun has disappeared from view, leaving behind, on both western and eastern horizons, a fleeting tint of orange surrounded by pale lavender.  I think it's going to be a lovely night.

Not today's sunset, but much like it.

Listening to the wind this afternoon reminded me of one of my favorite childhood poems.

The Wind

Robert Louis Stevenson

I saw you toss the kites on high

And blow the birds about the sky;

And all around I heard you pass,

Like ladies' skirts across the grass

Oh wind, a blowing all day long,

Oh wind, that sings so loud a song!

I saw the different things you did,

But always you yourself you hid.

I felt you push, I heard you call,

I could not see yourself at all

Oh wind, a blowing all day long!

Oh wind, that sings so loud a song!

O you that are so strong and cold,

O blower, are you young or old?

Are you a beast of field and tree,

Or just a stronger child than me?

O wind, a blowing all day long,

O wind, that sings so loud a song!

Tomorrow is also a day.

Tiny Todd Asiatic Lily

Lilium asiaticum 'Tiny Todd' PP16170

 

Last year, I planted several of these pretty pink Asiatic lilies in a bed on the west side of my carport.  They seem to enjoy the bright sun they get during the day and they, in turn, brighten my day when they start to bloom.  Although the plants are relatively short, the blooms are not tiny, as the name might lead you to believe, but are are about 4.5" across, not as large as some lily blooms, but still of substantial size. 

I've been checking periodically to see if there are signs of new growth.  I hope they overwintered and will bloom again, even more abundantly.

Today's Flowers is a weekly Meme created by Luiz Santilli, Jr. and currently hosted by Luiz Santilli, Jr., Denise in Virginia, Laerte Pupo and Sandy Carlson.  I invite you to visit Today's Flowers to see lovely flowers from all around the world. If you have a flower photo of your own to share, information about joining the group may be found on the 'Procedure' page.

Alternative Transportation?

I'm thinking seriously about buying an adult tricycle. My sense of balance is no longer adequate for riding a two-wheeler, but I could probably manage a three-wheeler.  The Schwinn Meridian Tricycle pictured at left looks like something I could handle.

My bank, the library and a supermarket are all within easy pedaling distance of my home, and on relatively level ground. I might turn into the 'little old lady who only drove her car to church on Sunday.'  

I had to run some errands this afternoon that required using my car and, gasoline prices being what they are these days, I tried to make the rounds in the shortest distance possible.  No longer can I afford to just jump in the car to take a casual drive. The budget won't stand it.

I can remember buying gasoline for $0.19 per gallon, for even less if there was a 'gas war' on.  (Yes, I'm older than dirt.) While gasoline prices are not yet quite as high as they were a couple of years ago, it makes me shudder to see that the price boards over the gas station have increased by ten to fifteen cents per gallon in a couple of hours.  Gas prices here have gone up more than $0.50 per gallon in the last two weeks. :::sigh:::

Tomorrow is also a day.



Nothing Doing

Image - Dover Clip Art

What I Didn't Do Today

I didn't wash the dishes;

I didn't even cook.

In keeping with my wishes,

My nose was in a book.

* * *

Tomorrow is also a day.

Liquid Sunshine

There are no dry bones around here today!  The part of town I live in received 1.5 inches of liquid sunshine in a willy-waw (deluge with high wind) that lasted only about thirty minutes.  We need the moisture, so I didn't mind it raining, but since it fell so fast and furious, I was a little bit concerned that the street on which I live might experience high water.  I shared a photo of what my street looks like after a downpour in this post.  However, since I wasn't at home to watch the water rising, I didn't spend much time thinking about it -- I was on high ground at Gardening Daughter's home. 

I had "Sweetie"- duty this afternoon. My daughter and other members of her local garden club have been working for the past two days at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, making preparations for their participation in the 2011 Arkansas Flower and Garden Show, which begins tomorrow and runs through Sunday.   Since my son-in-law works the second shift at his place of employment, when she has to be away from home in the afternoons,  I gladly stay with my granddaughter (nick-named "Sweetie," - not to be confused with Sweetie Pie, my cat). She and I have a great time together, although today she was feeling the effects of a tummy upset and took a long nap.

Sweetie's older sister, who is a junior in high school, is very active in the school's Junior ROTC,  which is assisting in a community event at the Senior Citizens Center tonight. They were to report, in uniform, at 5 p.m., which time just happened to be in the midst of the deluge. We had to dart between the raindrops to get into my car, which was parked under a deep carport, sheltered on three sides. The wind blew the rain from the entrance of the carport all the way to the back door of the house.  Wooie!   Getting her to her destination provided me with a thorough washing of my car; I don't think a paid power-wash could have done any better.  The rain all but scoured the paint.  It should gleam like liquid sunshine tomorrow.


Gardening Daughter got home around 6:30, and I got back to my house around 6:45.  I could see no evidence that high water had been in my yard;  I must remember to thank the city fathers for improving the drainage system. 

Tomorrow is also a day.

Dry Bones

Image - Wikipedia

Except for theme posts which recur on a regular basis, I don't create my posts in advance.  Folks who visit here generally find a few (or more) words about what's been on my mind on the date in question.  I was occupied with other matters much of the day, and didn't give much thought to a suitable subject for Wednesday, February 23, and here it is, fast approaching Thursday, February 24. 

Since returning from the mid-week service at church, I've been digging around in the nooks and crannies of my memory trying to think of something of interest (to me, at least) for today's post.  No luck.  Since I've been posting daily since the first of the year, I told myself that I was just having a 'dry spell,' and was just about to give up and go to bed when the word 'dry' made me think of 'dry bones.'  Those two words, in turn, made me think of a song my brother and sisters and I used to sing when we were kids, just for the fun of it, trying not to get the sequence of the bones mixed up. My thought processes may seem a bit strange to you, but that's just the way my mind works.

So, to 'flesh out' the dry bones (sorry), I hastened to the Internet to find a skeleton image and, if possible, a video of the old song I had remembered. Success!

My siblings and I didn't sound quite like the group in the video that follows, but we wouldn't have -- since we were three girls and one boy, and none of us could sing bass. Listen, if you will.  If you can then get the tune out of your mind, you're way ahead of me.
 

The Plainsmen Quartet

Tomorrow is also a day.

Magpie 54

Photograph © Tess Kincaid

Photo prompt for Magpie Tales #54

* * *

PIECES

If there was a specific day

that I started to fall apart,

I can't recall it.

Mirrors now reflect

only worn and faded pieces

of the youth I remember.

* * *