Spring's Just Around the Corner

Greetings All:  It's been a while since I"ve posted, but am ready to get back into the swing of things.

There's been a lot going on here in the Mid-Atlantic region.  Of course, hurricane Irene slammed into us in August; that was really a trip.  We didn't receive much damage, other than a few pine tree limbs in the swimming pool, limbs and pine cones everywhere, but other neighbors did.  The clean-up process took a while and some folks are still dealing with insurance companies trying to weasel out of their responsibilities.  There's just no accounting for the greed and plain old dishonesty in this great country of ours.

Now, it's time to start thinking of spring approaching and all that it entails.  I do love spring.  I love the new, green grass coming up, trees budding out, hyacinths, forsythia, dogwood, azalea, daffodills, all blooming, and presenting our eyes and senses with their beauty and fragrance.

Of course, we've had some spring-like days here in North Cariolina every since we moved here, nearly fifty years ago.  There's always a few days in February, you can count on it, when one can put on one's bathing suit and lay out in the sun.  I used to do this, but stopped at age thirty-five.  I'm so glad I did, because I'm always being told how pretty my complexion is.  I'm so glad that people can't see the part of me that's either sagging, bagging or dragging.  I guess that part is inevitable as one grows older.

This had been one of the windiest years I can remember.  I have to stay inside when it's too windy because any cold wind hitting my head or sinuses inevitably gives me a sinus infection and cold.  I'm just getting over one of those now.  I've been coughing and blowing my nose for over two weeks now.  As I look out of my living room window, I can see, and hear, the wind just howling.  It sounds like Irene all over again.

I'm so ready for warm days, spring breezes and clear skys. ( I was going outside, sitting here at the computer with my coat on, and pick some greens for supper, but I think it's just a little too windy for that.)

My husband planted some rape, canola oil is derived from it, that he's going to till under this spring as it kills nematodes.  I hope it works, because the roots of most of our garden plants were ruined last year due to these parasitic worms.  Our garden, last year, was one of the worst we've ever had.

My great granddaughter will be one year old Friday.  I can't believe she's growing up so fast.  It seems just like yesterday that she was born.  My other two great grands will be nine and three, respectively, in March. I have four birthdays in that month; a great month for births.

My grandson will be twenty years old in February.  He lives with me and is such a great help and certainly a great joy in my life.

I'm still beading, of course.  I live to bead.  I'm trying new designs, of my own,  and ideas that I've found on the internet.  There's just no end to what one can do with a needle, thread, and lots and lots of tiny seed beads.  Beading is very calming to me and I love to see what I'm going to create.  I don't have a definite plan in mind when I start, I just pick a focal bead that I like and see where it takes me.

I wanted to have a web site to sell my jewelry on, but don't think that's for me.  I want to design and make jewelry when I want to, not when I think I have to.  When I have to sit and make jewelry for other people, it cuts into my design time; designing is what I really love.  It gives me great satisfaction to see something beautiful that I've created.

Well, my stomach is telling me it's time for lunch.  I think I'll have left over spaghetti and marinara that we had for din din last night; it was so good.  I love pasta and could eat it every day; I do eat a lot of it, since I'm a vegetarian.  Pasta, grains, beans and veggies are all that I eat.

I hope all of you, my readers, have a wonderful day, and God Bless.   Nana