connecting

Met a new friend, via a long-time friend today~lovely hours of conversation in a local coffee shop.

Saying good-bye to March and flipping the calendar page.

fleurs de printemps

This pose captures my middle niece SO completely. She brings a lot of energy and joy to all of us.

 

It's once again the magical week of cherry blossoms in this region.

It was too crowded to walk, so I didn't do the full Tidal Basin loop. 

They are one of the most stunning things I've seen.

I now understand why there's a 'cherry blossom watch' Twitter feed so people know exactly when to visit the trees.

Since that walk was a bit short, I zipped over to the National Portrait Gallery where the annual Orchid Festival was displayed. 

The photos don't even come close to capturing what the space was like. What was incredible to me is how accessible all the plants were and how people were being very careful around them.

I think these were my favorite~New Year's Fireworks was the English translation of the Latin name.

One last shot~and even though it's still in the 20s at night for the next couple of weeks, I just swapped out all my winter/spring clothing.

While bummed they weren't selling the cherry soap this year, I did get a fun picnic plate to commemorate the 2019 blooms.

glimmers of goodness

The lilies opened in my bouquet this morning. (I cut the stamens out, but they're still a really strongly scented flower. Achoo.)

One of the blogs I follow did a post recently about reaching out and opened the comments section for people to leave a name (or partial) and address, and if they felt like~something they were struggling with. When I checked in, they were at around 900 comments. I mailed off four cards this week and just went to collect my mail and found a heap of personalized letters and cards. 

Including this sticker! The receptionist at my former music school in Bethesda used to say that all the time and it always cracked me up.

Just a lovely day of synchronicities & connections & seeing that people can radiate goodness. 

at the end of the day, you're another day older

How I begin/end my days~maybe not the most joyful image. But. I am grateful for how I even got here. The past two years especially have been wafting about on grace. And I am thankful for the doors this current job is opening.

Now. If they'd just open quickly!

making safety in the moment

 

Came home this afternoon to see a delicious slant of light~and my pleasure was quadrupled many times over as I considered just how fortunate I am to have (and always have had) a safety net to provide a home. Whether it's been a literal room/board while I transition between jobs or monies to help with down payments, I've survived to this day.

Feeling very...something...as we just found out a colleague has been living in her car this winter. I don't know how she got there, but it is deeply unsettling. She's highly educated, around my age, steadily working...and yet, her broken down car was her home.

We're scrambling to help her get into emergency housing and then find something long term.

While I've pretty much been grateful every day of this current lily pad, I am wandering around it tonight with deeper gratitude.

I've been reading a poem by Linda Gregg for a couple of weeks now and these ending lines are exactly what I feel: 

Making safety in the moment.

This touching home goes far.

no reason is sometime's the best one

Look at these gorgeous flowers from my boss this morning! She brought individualized bouquets to the three of us admins.

Partially because we got stellar reviews on our recent accreditation site visit, partially because each of us has been dealing with some tough personal stuff, and partially just 'cuz. They brightened the entire school~such an unexpected and gracious gesture!

respite~I probably overuse the word, but it's a fav

More adventures with the air fryer~no matter what recipes I read, my breaded items never look as nice as the posted photos. This was my attempt at onion rings and they were delish even if a tad heavy on the paprika.

You can almost watch the buds open right now.

My first wall papering attempt. I need several more rolls to finish the wall, but for now? I've coverd up the weird paint job and have something shimmering to stare at.

Out for a sunny and saw this newly installed....what, I've no idea. Not really going to provide shade nor shelter and I'm thinking metal benches in a hot climate isn't a grand idea. But then, no one consulted me. :)  

Shelf 'shrooms.

Difficult to see, but thousands of teeny red leaves just starting to see if they'll stick around for 2019.

Happy Sunday!

simple is best

The sky got super dark yesterday and we heard thunder for the first time in a long time. And then? Hail and snow.

Didn't think I'd be scraping slush off my car in March, but there you have it.

Daffodils are my second fav flower~right behind sweet peas. It's amazing what a lift just a few blossoms provide. And even though I am not seeing the thousands that he did, Wordsworth was onto something all those decades ago. And yes, I am going to make you go to Google for that reference. You're welcome!

let it rain, let it rain

Ooops, wrong song. We were just a few degrees away from piles of snow. The blessings of rain (besides the obvs): a clean car~mine was coated with the dregs of snow/salt/sand; a softer commute~I drive directly east/west and it's been brutal to sit and stare into the sun each way; and, rain against the window makes for a cosy ambiance for slumber.

A busy and rather interesting work week; learning how to resolve all kinds of visa issues that popped up. But so ready for a few hours away from it; le frere is in town, so it ought to be a good weekend of family connections.

hmm

Not sure if it's impressive or pathetic that I am able to paint my nails while waiting in Beltway traffic. Either way, it's not really a lifestyle I wish to continue. I've only been commuting like this for six months and have NO idea how people do it for most of their careers.

Back to the joys part of this blog...finally was able to get a short and sunny walkin after work. While I still need to find a good walking path, I did a loop through that corporate complex where I took all those snow photos.

I hadn't noticed that the bridge railings were wavy in the snow! 

An intense work day of many visa issues, so time to stare at my little pot of daffodils and do some yoga stretching. Happy last day of winter...