Saturday, April 3, 2010

Well, since you asked..

Allegra and Chris want to know
where I've been...
and what I've been doing...
the answer is ...

here...
doing nothing... well
working and walking
and dealing with the wind at work and on my walks...

these pictures are for Allegra...she loves peacocks and so do I
but I wonder

how they deal with the wind and that tail...
a friend of mine once said the wind in New Mexico

doesn't blow...it sucks
boy was he right...!
I know why the women in the old west tales
killed their husbands, children, chickens, and any stray passerbys
when the wind was blowing...it makes me crazy.
And this is spring in New Mexico...
wind...
wind...
wind!!
And when all our lovely blossoming,
pollinating, amazing flowering fruit trees
get just full of wonderfulness...
that wind takes all of our goodness to Arizona...or Texas...or Colorado
I hope they appreciate it!

Last week, my Mama Poole (she called herself my mother-in-love) turned 80. This is a card she sent me last year on the first day of spring. That's me and her years ago, under a concrete picnic table in the Rocky Mountain National Park on a spring picnic when it started the rain. Everyone else ran for the car but she and I stayed to enjoy the rain...under the table. I've known and loved her since I was 19. The first day of spring is the holiday we always celebrate together. I buy a yellow shirt and new sandals every year and she always laughs at me for doing it in the snow and asks if there is room in my closet for one more pair of shoes...see how well she knows me? She has lived through lots of hard things...loosing her son and most of her siblings most recently... but has the best attitude ever and taught me sooooo many things. "You learn more about being an adult from your children than you do your parents" she said. And she was right. "Once you give something away, let go of what happens to it." Another wise nugget that has served me well. One of my favorite lessons is that it's okay to keep art you made and love. Not everything has to be for sale or given away. For years we gardened, cooked, played, did art, traveled to craft shows and even had a store in Estes Park a couple of summers. They are a family of potters - 3 generations now. She was a teacher of first graders for years and years and let me be a part of that as well. I went to the college she did because I wanted to be like her. Now she's old - or so she says. When I spoke to her last week she told me they went to the doctor because they "thought they should" but they told him up front they didn't want any medicine. So they had the exam, took all the tests and got the results. The tests all showed they were healthy...old but healthy and so she told the doctor...they weren't coming back. I still want to be her when I grow up.

Grace in small things
1. a brief respite from the wind when the sun was shining - warmth!!! lovely, lovely New Mexico
2. the most amazing paintings and cloth made from those paintings done by a blind man! I'll find the link and post it some day but he is amazing!! If you're local - stop by and see the show...
3. beautiful light in the mornings as I walk to the bus, the slow dawning of the day
4. mourning doves - it's mating season and they don't ever shut up! The cooing goes on and on...I love that sound
5. finally finishing my taxes!!! yippee skippee!! and so I can finish my plans for my trip to CO to see my niece get married...I get to be the one to marry them...isn't that a hoot!

10 comments:

studioJudith said...

Oh Miss Leau -
This beautiful post was such a gift on this windy day. I especially love the quote about learning more about being an adult from your children.
My youngest daughter turned 40 yesterday. She continues to be my best teacher.
When "the baby" turns 40 - it's official: You're OLD !

Hugs to you-
Judith

Unknown said...

beautiful post Leau...lovely tribute to a dear friend.

it's blowing HERE too....so I guess all your blossoms are just skipping right on over to Utah.

x...x

christina said...

hi sweetheart!
i want to strut like a peacock, after reading your post.
i am so glad, to catch up here.
XO
love
love
you

A.Smith said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
A.Smith said...

What's with blogger? Don't answer that. I just posted a comment and it came out blank? I know I don't say anything too important, but blank...?

Oh my dear, dear Leau, I feel better now, in spite of the pig flu that continues to hang on to me as if I gave it permission to do so. I love peacocks with tiny reservations, if you please. One of them, vain birds that used to terrorize me when I was a child, caught me one day and pecked the heck out of my leg, but then the other two came running down and beat him into a retreat from my leg.

But then I learned as I grew older that there is a price to be paid for beauty - I just wish there would have been other than my ankle - and so I still love peacocks, but I keep judiciously some distance between them, vain birds and my legs these days.

Here the weather is horrible, the days are gray with a tinge of yellow, more November than April and maybe turns out to be that April is the cruelest month after all. Love you tons and I hope the wind goes away soon, let's say...like yesterday? Now I will try to get up and finish the shrine. Hugs from here and thank you for thinking of me.

rebecca said...

i love that you have placed each peacock a safe distance from allegra. just close enough to life her heart and dazzle us all.
warmly,
rebecca

moongipsies@msn.com said...

gorgeous post my friend... can't wait to see you again... :)

Chris said...

Your Mother in Love is very wise and sounds like someone it would be great to have a conversation with.

Thank you for telling us where you've been. Wind is a challenge. I'm a lover of breezes, but wind can sometimes ruffle my...

I was going to say tarmac, but that doesn't make any sense at all.

Just Me Again said...

WONDERFUL PICTURES!

Von said...

Ah the wind! Peacocks don't put up their tails, keep in a sheltered space and face into it.Works for them!