Back Home Again, Again

Yesterday I was navigating my way through DC to catch my flight home from the Baltimore airport. Today, I took a walk through the moody, wet, spring woods to the sounds of woodpeckers knocking on trees and wild turkeys gobbling on the far hill. Jeez, I really am living the life! To be able to visit cities and live in the country has always seemed the best of circumstances to me. Thanks to John's travel schedule, the frequent flier tickets are plentiful. And thanks to all the amazing young people in my family, I have lots of people to visit in marvelous places.

I visited my niece Emily who lives and works in Washington D.C. over the weekend. I was supposed to help her paint her new condo, but an eleventh hour real estate debacle occurred (as they are wont to do) and we ended up playing instead of working. I didn't bring my camera, so she has all the incriminating photos. It was such fun to walk the city, eat at great restaurants, browse bookstores, drink cappuccinos, and meet her friends. We got in some salsa dancing (which I have no idea how to do) and mojitos (I found out in Mexico that those taste very good) and the American Indian Museum (beautifully designed) and a drag show brunch on Easter (don't ask), and a little bit of shopping...it was a blast.

Back here, at a much quieter pace and during a lull in the rain (which has begun again in earnest) I took a walk through the woods and fields. I love doing that after returning from several days away from home. It quiets my soul to say, "Hello," again.

I love the way that beech trees retain their leaves until the following spring when new growth finally pushes them off. The leaves are a delicate, butter yellow against the smooth, silver grey bark. The overall effect of them weaving through the other, bare branches of a crowded woods reminds me of lace.

May apples are coming up! They look like alien pods all writhing and weird to me.

Little wood violets are out, too. Their heads were hunkered over from the rain, but that color was unmistakable. Soon, they'll be everywhere--enough to make a small bouquet in a tiny vase.

While I was gone, John was busy finishing the stairwell in bittersweet vine. It is impossible to photograph. You'll have to come see it in person.

I'm with LeRoy in thinking that it is the coolest thing ever. I feel like I'm walking up into a treehouse every time I climb the stairs.

And we won't have to worry about small children falling off the stairs anymore. He's still got some work to do finishing the railing around the whole upstairs. Guess I'll have to travel off again for a long weekend so he can get busy!