The Silver Lining

I am stuck in the house on a self-imposed sentence.  My confinement started one week ago yesterday and it will continue through this next Monday…..11 days.

Why?

A friend from long, long ago; I am talking 7^th grade - high school here, is coming to visit next week.  That is exciting news. I am looking forward to our reunion.  Unfortunately, as usual, my house needs a good cleaning.  I hate housework. (Have I ever mentioned that before?) And, when I finally attack the job, I take forever! I am downright slow! Eleven days just gets the, what I call, public spaces clean; the main 1/3rd of the house.  I hope I can hide the less than clean other 2/3rds. Frankly, I am on a roll; so after the visit, I plan to continue with the other 2/3rds and see how much I can accomplish before I totally give in to the call of nature…Mother, that is (ie. gardening, mowing, weeding, relaxing and the like). The outdoors is just too pretty to disregard. 

As I was resting my tired/sore feet and reading a chapter in a James Herriot book (multi-tasking even during a break), I heard (quite loudly); then saw (most impressively) a beautiful male American goldfinch at the bird feeder located just outside my living room window.  He was in brilliant seasonal garb - fluorescent yellow highlighted with pure black and white.

The bird enticed me to take a pause outside, to take a short walk around my garden.  Oh, my gosh…the plants have taken off again due to recent rains and warming temperatures.  I was missing quite a bit of spring.

The lush foliage of the woods has just about enveloped my surroundings  in a  private world, open only to the magnificent Blue Ridge Mountain view.  I am hoping this same view will grab the attention of my dear friend and that she will overlook any missed dust bunnies (better known as dust hippos in my house) and weeds gone wild.  Perhaps, introducing her to feeding the lambs will also be a perfect diversion.

In any case, her visit, the silver lining, is much anticipated.  And,

enjoy a few of today’s treasure’s that I found in my garden…I am!