Ah, Spring is here!

We have been enjoying our new patio!
It is very nice! Looking forward to entertaining on it for
Tom's surprise bbq for his graduation from the police academy!





The weather has been so nice that we actually planted our garden earlier than usual! I planted 3 cucumber plants as well as 2 zucchini plants. (Put your order in now for zucchini bread this summer!)

See the back gate? For 26 years, I had so many conversations over that gate with dear Donna It seems so weird not to hear her voice coming through that gate.
I find myself looking for her. :(


My peas are up about 3 inches. I planted 3 short rows of
bush beans. The bench is covering the beans in hopes of keeping Tank out of them. We don't have a Griff but we do have a Tank!


Jim planted his tomatoes along the ally hoping that
they get more sun!


oops. this is a sideways photo of a blueberry bush with blossoms! I am so excited!


It's all about color!!!


The 2 goldfish survived the winter in the pond!

The above is an old snowball tree that came from a
start off of my grandma's tree 35 yrs ago. Her tree came
from her mom's tree!



Is that a rose bud? Why, it is! on a very special rose given me
by a very special friend.


And like the snowball, these 2 lilac bushes also came from my
grandma's mom.....rather, my great-grandma. They smell so delicious!


I just love Spring in my yard!
but....as much as i am enjoying it, I am very sad.
Don't get me wrong. I am excited about Tom and Anna's upcoming
plans to move south. It's just that we have always been close. It is going to be EXTREMELY hard to say goodbye. And having both Chris and Tom kinda far away is a challenge. I am glad that the kids are independent. It leaves such an emptiness in me, that they don't need mom anymore.
An old chum put it in a light that helps to explain how i feel. I know that i haven't lost them to death. The pain isn't quite to that depth. I know I can see them periodically. But as my chum said, one does grieve. it is a loss when loved ones move far away. I know that some do not understand that. But when your kids....flesh and blood ....whom you have had around you for 30 yrs and whom you have given your heart and soul to during those years, and suddenly they are gone....well, i know i will get over it. It won't be so bad. i guess i just hope that this next year doesn't have as many sudden changes as the past year has had. I think i have hit the wall. find that i just want to be alone. which really does sound odd considering the kids are going to be gone and I will be alone. guess i need to find a hobby. a life. Maybe my mom was right. "don't make your kids your life." time for momma b to grow up? buck up? be tough? let go of the apron strings. let those she loves fly away. And figure out who she is at this point in her life? It is just all so confusing. time to move on, I guess.