The snow melt has all the rivers high but not overflowing. This is the Webb River which flows from Webb Lake near Mt. Blue into the Androscoggin River in Dixfield. Webb Lake is often mentioned in books by Bernd Heinrich.
Today I walked to the post office without a coat and in my sneakers. At a house between here and there I saw a lady raking her flower bed from a wheelchair.
It reminded me of another moment in early spring a few years ago when I passed a house and was startled to see a woman half laying, half sitting in her flower bed attached to an oxygen tank and weeding her flower bed.
The desire to be outside and touch spring is powerful.
8 comments:
It's certainly not just kids who love to jump in mud puddles and play in the dirt!
Bernd Heinrich's "A Year in the Maine Woods" is one of my all time favorite naturalist writings. I suspect I'd still love it even if I hadn't grown up in Weld...
Yes, indeed, after a winter such as we just experienced, it feels like we've EARNED days like today.
Beth, isn't spring grand!? Have a great trip.
Morning Cuz, I'll wave when you fly over tomorrow. I'll be the one in the straw cowboy hat. I don't envy your plane ride. Tell all the fam. we send greetings. We get our water from the Rio Grande, the Arroyo Colorado, and numerous man made canals called Resacas. I buy some of mine at Wal-Mart. Have a great trip.
The story with the woman on the oxygen tank, that really struck me. Your last line and the image of her weeding add up to one pretty strong sentiment about human life. I'll be thinking about her for a while.
This is somehow making all of that shoveling we did this winter worth it! This is the nicest spring we have had in a long time, or maybe it just feels that way since we had such a bad winter.
You evoked two touching images. Actually I find myself to be a touching image today -- spring skirt, autumn jacket, scarf, sandals, and just sitting in the back yard with our cat, who is delighted to have company finally.
I think the Druids had it right. May 1 is truly the first of the year.
It is very humbling to read of both those women. There they are, living their lives, and gardening. Wonderful, Beth.
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