03-31-2026 A Beautiful Yellow and Pink and White March

 

The flowering plums were in full bloom by March 7

I haven't kept up well with writing about ordinary life lately.  What writing energy I have in the early mornings is taken up with the chapters of the "book".  Writing about a life can be all-consuming, with stories coming in the middle of the night, demanding to be written right NOW!  But this morning the "right now" moment is realizing that two months have come and gone and I have no record to remind me of ordinary life.

Our little pink flowering plum is beginning to mature and bloomed by the 7th of March

So often when Mo and I are trying to remember something, it is the blog that is our reference.  I no longer write for an audience, and sometimes even hesitate to send out a notice that another post has been published.  I am still deciding if I will send this one out via email, but there are a few readers out there who seem to find my posts through whatever method they have used to follow over the years.  

I work on the flower beds. Mo gets the water wheel running again

I don't want to look back and wonder what happened to all the pink and white glory that was March this year.  Spring burst out a month earlier than usual, and by the end of the month the temperatures were hitting 82 on sunny afternoons.  It felt more like May most of the time.

The oak leaves popped out by mid-month in the brilliant warm sunshine

Mo and I used the great weather to do all the winter garden cleanup that was left over from a very rainy fall.  Sometimes we don't manage to get the flower beds cleaned up until May.  Somehow it all felt quite leisurely, at least in my memories of the month.  A delight.

During a lovely Sunday morning lunch date, Deb took a nice photo of Mo and me 

It wasn't all yard work.  Mo had a birthday, and this year, since we had just returned from California, Mo decided that a birthday trip wasn't a necessity.  We went to brunch with Deborah on a Sunday morning, and spent another afternoon at Red Lily enjoying good wine and more sunshine.

Mo caught a good photo of Deb and Sue on a Red Lily afternoon

I took a break from gardening chores mid-month and drove north to Brownsville to visit Daughter Melody.  Robert was on a work trip, so we had three lovely days together to talk and play.  Life isn't always perfect, and we somehow managed to get through a silly misunderstanding with love and hugs.  Sometimes it is surprising what comes up in moments like these.  

Melody and Sue 

Neither of us could actually remember what triggered it.  Melody and I are so close that it is rare when we have to work through "stuff".  I almost skipped writing about this part, but that is writing our life as if everything is just perfect all the time.  We all know that no matter how much love there is, misunderstandings can happen.  

Morning coffee on the front porch with Melody

The guest room wall at Melody and Robert's house

Melody redid the downstairs craft room and turned it into a guest room for Mom so I wouldn't have to climb stairs when I was there.  The bed was luscious with silky sheets and a down comforter.  Melody is a rock collector, and hand-wrapped many of her favorite specimens in copper wire so she could hang them in this sinuous curve on the guest room wall.  She says she loves it because she can see everything and take down any piece she wants to fondle.

Late in the month Daughter Deanna and her husband Keith came south from Northeastern Washington to spend a few days at Deb's house.  They brought some lovely cold frames and spent time helping Deb set up her raised beds.  I think they hauled at least 4 yards of good soil using our little Colorado, which can only handle a yard at a time.

Grandson Matthew, Katty, Keith, Deanna, Deborah and Mo

It was a Deb week, not a "mom" week, but everyone still came to Sunset House for a family dinner on the deck and a nice, long visit until late evening. I didn't even have to cook since everyone decided ordering pizza delivery was a great way to spend some family time.

The last day of the month was our book club gathering at Connie's home.  It was Jennifer's birthday so we took the time to not only discuss the book but honor Jennifer.  I am so tickled that Deb is now in our book club.  She made the cake, a fabulous caramel cheesecake thing for Jennifer.  Deb loves to do birthday cakes and makes them for friends and family and all her co-workers for their birthday.  Seems as though she is always saying, "I need to make a cake for.....".

Jennifer was tickled with the cake

We read "Wild Dark Shore" this month, and it elicited a great discussion.  I loved the book.  It was intense, and based on the idea of a world seed bank at risk due to climate change.  The ending isn't perfect, but the book is well written.  

Our book club group is enriched by our diversity.  Jennifer and Robyn at the top left, Connie on the top right, Deb on the middle right. Kristin on the lower left, the group mixing in Connie’s kitchen, and Stephanie on the lower right. It is a fun group of mostly like-minded people, but all have such different perspectives, which makes our conversations rich and enlightening.  I learn a lot from these women.

In retrospect, I see why I may have skipped writing about March.  It was lovely and quiet.  We recuperated from our winter travels with home time, gardening, cooking, visiting with friends and family.  A beautiful month.

Our little girl Mattie, at almost 12, is going a bit gray