WEATHERMANIA...

                         

 

 

"In the spring, 

I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours"

....Mark Twain

 

I think most of the U. S. says, "If you don't like our weather...wait a jiffy and it'll change"...right?  Personally, I prefer the four seasons in proper order...no mixing or confusion...reliable.  Well, in reality that's not how it works...weather is unreliable and known to turn things upside down.

 

Rain?  I love it but if it's sort of 40-dayish...enough already! 

Drought?  Please God, send rain.

Preferably rain with no tornado, okay? 

In the winter, just a beautiful snow...without ice, please.

Picky, picky, picky!

 

Like many others areas, California is in a drought...just had torrential rains...now there are landslides...confusion?  Yes, I'd say so! World-wide, the weather is always fair game for a hot topic!            Humanity enjoys being content & comfy.

 

The Greek philosopher Epicurus said way back in 341 BC:

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not;

remember that what you now have was

once among the things you only hoped for."

 

Spring is coming...it's just around the corner.  Which corner is debatable, but it's surely coming. 

 

Michael and I moved to Wisconsin in April 1991 and settled into our five acres in the middle of a German farming/dairy village.  We planned to have a garden, didn't everyone?  Yes indeed so our next door neighbor came over one day and rototilled our plot...very nice of him.

 

M goes off shopping and comes home loaded with tomato plants, among many other things...which he planted in quick order.  Our neighbors were stunned by His Eager-beaverness!  "Man, don't you know it's too early to plant stuff here?"  Hey, we're from Oklahoma and this is when we plant.  Hardy-har-har!  "Your garden is gonna' freeze, for sure."

 

Ordinarily in Wisconsin it would've frozen out...

but Sooner luck prevailed; we had one prolific garden

which knocked our community back on its' heels. 

Thankfully we didn't bomb out first go-round.

 

Here's a funny for you...they absolutely could not understand why two people from Oklahoma would actually re-locate to Wisconsin...in the middle of what was known as 'the Holy Land'.  We must've explained a billion times w/o success.  So...one evening the entire group decided to take us out for dinner w/our next door neighbor picking us up.

 

When we were in their car, she said "Michael, people are still curious why you and Vasca moved here".  Michael looked her in the eye and said, "You've heard of the Witness Protection Program?"...she replied "Yes"...M said, 'Well'.  No more questions but we were always 'the odd couple'. 

 

Come to think of it, M and I were the 'odd couple' several times. 

 

In Greece, I was thought to look like a Greek...I was olive skinned and dark hair; having a Greek name?  Yeah!  Plus I took Greek lessons for more than two years; assumption was since I looked Greek I could converse in Greek...oh boy, I made lots of mistakes...funny ones!  Add to that four sons...in Greece boys were most valuable ~ for when they marry the girls parents must pony up much money!  And we had four...oh wow!

 

In China it wasn't difficult to be an 'odd couple'...many Chinese had never seen a foreigner...much less ones of our advanced ages!  Our college students were shocked that two so old would relocate to their country.  I think they hadn't much concept of age because the first day of class they thought I was 50-ish, not.  But their older citizens looked really old...after all, they had suffered through Chairman Mao's Cultural Revolution...it more than took its toll.

 

The Chinese grow wonderful gardens; no space is wasted...anywhere.  The land is 100% used.  We were happy recipients of many delicious fruits and vegetables...for whenever a Chinese would visit they came loaded with fruits, etc.  Gifts for the 'odd couple' who became the 'old couple', who became the 'loved couple who loved in return'.  That's what love does...the world over!  Like spring...love blooms.

 

Here something to think about...

"We've got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant. 

You can't just accept it and leave it in the cupboard

or just think it's going to get on by itself. 

You've got to keep watering it. 

You've got to really look after it and nurture it."

John Lennon

 

You know, when you're given something precious it's a good idea to take very good care of it.  Why?  Well, because 'it's precious', that's why!  What's precious to me may not mean zip to you, vice-versa!  Of course! 

 

There are times when I lose sight of what's precious in my life...and toss it away!  Like?
Well, like this...once I really hurt Michael and he said, "Vasca, I am not your teddy bear that you can use when you want and then...put me back on the shelf."

Oh, I can't tell you how that pierced my heart...I had used him, hurt him and not accidentally! 
I had this precious gift of his...love...I accepted it and put it on a shelf without feeding and watering it.
Such a thoughtless way to treat something so precious.

My life can be like a spring...136 changes in less than 24 hours...
but  looking at M, I know I have the love I had only hoped for.
I'm reminded of what our youngest son once told me,
"Mom, you're a late-bloomer"...hopefully I wasn't a bloomin'-idiot.

I thank you, Father...for your patience while nurturing me. 
It seems you are always teaching me valuable lessons!

From my heart...to yours,
Vasca