eric

what a gift, my husband. i spent so many years chasing other dreams, worrying about my future, trying to set things in order, never quite grasping it- so much unnecessary struggle and pain. what a gift, my husband. i found him like a gentle rolling on a lazy river. no great turbulence, no strife. he was there and then he was mine. and i am his. he is a hard worker. i've never seen anyone work as hard. bloody hands, sleepless nights, worn soles, scarred body. he is a man of grace and humility. he is a listener and a lover. he is patient with me. ever patient and ever forgiving. what a gift, my husband. i love him in the silence. no words worthy of such sacred space. he charms me with his cello-song and gentle whispers accapella. this is no anniversary, no special day. just a tribute and a moment- finding myself in awe, in wonder, and in love. what a gift, my husband.

the yard

it is spring here in wichita, Kansas. around my little plot of earth, the redbuds are in full bloom and small green shoots are sprouting up by the hundreds. i love spring in a new home. it is like upwrapping a present- waiting to see what life lies dormant beneath the dark soil. what little buds will peek up again this year? and i wonder how long they have inhabited their little spot in the yard- 10, 20 years? the previous owner was a garden-lover, that is clear. she planted ornamental grasses, grape vines, hundreds of flowering bulbs, and bushes. this year, i will add a few raspberry bushes, five burning bushes, and a vining wisteria, roses bushes, daisies, hollyhocks, and gladiolas. did i tell you that we have over thirty trees? we can finally use our hammocks and i plan to re-string the wooden clothesline. a few squirrels have snuck into the yard and the birds empty the feeders every single day. shado (the cat), hunches down in the grass below the feeders as a little soldier predator but he's much too fat to catch anything. he ran up a tree yesterday, running from the lawn mower, but only made it four feet before deciding that tree-climbing is not such a good idea. he just stuck there- all four paws dug into the hard bark- looking around anxiously- trying to get down- his fat belly spread out like a gray pancake. he tries to keep Teddy Bear, the neighbor dog, out of the yard. Teddy Bear is a huge St. Bernard and is scared to death of Shado. good cat. two weeks ago i found two little snakes in the backyard. i hear they're not too keen on moth balls so i bought three boxes and doused our house, sheds, and yard perimeter. now the place smells like ole folks and wild onions.