A Whole Lot of Nothin’

This has been quite a week.  Frankly a difficult one that leaves me with little I really want to go into detail about.  I went out and walked as usual but there was really nothing picture worthy and the gloom persisted for much of the day.  It went from forties to nearly the seventies seemingly all at once.  I don’t feel much room to brag about the seventies when it takes all day to get there and then is quickly gone as the day passes its zenith.  I’m still waiting for enough money to get the car timing belt and water pump changed out…I will be much relieved to have that out of my hair.  My daughter will need to use that car to take her test for her driver’s license…oh boy.  I will need to make adjustments on the insurance at that point.  She graduates next year…I think I’m still in shock over that one. 

I thought I’d better head out for some pictures but first I had to show this pathetic shot of our salamander.  Don’t let that smile fool you…he’s waiting for his morning cricket…he’s every inch a predator.  Sometimes I think he’s a “salagator” more than a salamander!  The morning sunshine broke through today and left intricate patterns of shadow as it passed through our little bench in the backyard.  I see some buds are exploding out there at this point yet some do nothing at all just yet.  Still no blossoms for us for the most part so these signs of spring really comfort me and give me hope…it causes such a new green haze when looking out over the neighborhood…I just love that.  One thing that is nice right now is the songs of the Redwing Blackbirds that love to sing back and forth to one another.  The Western Meadowlarks haven’t arrived yet but still this is a nice thing to hear

Red Wing Black Bird Duet

.  The trees in our backyard are quite slow to finally spring to life each year however I still love the textures of the bark.  The contrast of the black and white really is nice and unique.  These are close enough to the deck where we have to keep them trimmed.  Right now I feel a little like that tree.  Life can have its moments where it feels one thing after another is being cut off and pruned left and right.  The good news is that without this pruning I know I wouldn’t grow the way I’m supposed to.  There’s nothing worse than an untamed tree that is left to go wild until it does damage to everything around it now is there?  Bless you my friends.