Freedom!

I've got Aretha Franklin on my mind....FREEDOM! It's spring in the Northeast ( finally!) For me, a lover of the sun, being outside and feeling my skin warm up, this is a big deal. Winter is LONG up here. We've been treated by a rare ( and probably concerning) warm streak in the past week or so. Temps that felt like summer. I must confess, I did not complain!
Springtime brings me the feeling of freedom because:

I can go out in any shoes I want to ( or none at all)
Not worrying about bundling up. Not only is getting out the door faster, but it means less to think about. Less is more.
Putting my clothes on the clothesline. I love that fresh air smell. It's almost meditative for me to hang them up and see them in the breeze.
Windows down in the car and windows open in the house!
Time to buy some Klondikes to put in the freezer. Just in case.
Making homemade iced tea ( ala Yaya's recipe - the best!)
Seeing things growing. This always gives me hope and joy.

So get out and enjoy the season! There's no way you can avoid a smile on a day when the sun shines, flowers are in bloom, and the birds are singing.

A Mother's Love

My good neighbor is a thoroughbred horse breeder. I have had the pleasure of getting to know more about these incredible horses over the years. Today I was reminded of what an incredible miracle nature is. One of the mares threw a foal the other night ( the baby was born) and it has severe neurological problems. Now who would have thought about a horse being born this way? The past 48 hours has been a sleep-deprived blur for Rich, as he has been, among other things, hand-milking the mare and feeding the baby through a tube inserted through its head, down into its stomach. I went over today to squirt the milk through the tube while he held the little filly steady.
Being in a stall that's about the size of a small powder room, with an enormously powerful mare pacing in circles, while holding its baby and trying to feed it...wow. But here's what I noticed: she is a mother. She knows something is wrong with her baby. She was as alert as any one of us might be in those early days when trying to figure out what to do for our child. But mixed in with the concern that was floating off her damp coat, was the distinct gentleness a mother shows. I could see her encouraging her filly to nurse, as we held it up to find its mother's milk. She nudged and arched and stayed as still as possible. It was a moment of beauty to see her trying to reach out and help this little one connect. We won't know for another day or so if the filly can handle this. Mother nature is at the helm here, and while my friend is doing everything within his reach to make it work, we will just have to wait and see.

Hidden Treasures

How did two weeks go by since my last entry?! It's not that I have not been thinking about the blog and all the great things I could write. One came to my mind the other evening, while enjoying the Jr/Sr High School Pops Concert. This was our first time attending this concert, and wow! were we surprised. It was almost two hours of students performing popular songs, and the chance to hear some incredible talent. The thing that really impressed me was how much input the students must have had in putting this evening together. This was not only a showcase for the traditional chorus, but a chance for these gutsy adolescents to get up on stage and sing, play their favorite instruments, and even show off their song-writing ability. Clearly they really like working with their chorus teacher, and she is a beam of light right back at them.
The hidden treasure for me was all about noticing the kids in new ways. Did you ever read Jan Brett children's books? She is an amazing illustrator who creates extremely detailed borders that contain pictures within each border. The best part of reading the book was examining the borders for clues about what might lie ahead, before turning the page. The concert reminded me of the joy of discovering new details about someone. There were girls from the lacrosse team who dressed up and belted out Aretha Franklin. Big football guys who could swing a guitar and sing sweet songs about a favorite grandmother. It touched my heart to see how much fun they all had, and how vulnerable they allowed themselves to be. It reminded me of how special it is to find treasure in each other. I can't wait to turn the page and see what's next!