Monday, April 17
It’s rainy and cool these days, with nighttime temperatures in the low thirties and highs in the forties.
Tuesday, April 18
E went to her monthly book club meeting. They talked about The Fox and I: an uncommon friendship by Catherine Raven. E liked the book because of the fox, of course, but also because of the author’s knowledge of nature. For next month they’re reading The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles.
Wednesday, April 19
Today we went into the Cascades for some snowshoeing. It seems late in the year for it, but it’s been cold this year. We went to a place called Lava Lakes, which is just two hours from home and sometimes has hardly any snow at all. But there was plenty today, with quite a bit more falling as we went along. It was nice: fresh snow on the trail and no one else around.
Thursday, April 20
Back down in the real world, E went walking with N from her book club. They started at the fairgrounds, walked around the base of Bald Hill (which has not been bald for at least 50 years), and then headed east. They did a little of the trail toward Fitton Green before turning back. E says that she got 12,000 steps. Yo.
Friday, April 21
Rain in the morning, easing off at around 10:30. That was about when we started a walk in the OSU forest, our goal being to check on the progress of the fawn lilies. It turns out that progress is slow.
Saturday, April 22
Much warmer weather today, with partly sunny skies and a high near seventy. In our yard, bed #1 is putting on something of a show: the flowering currants are in full bloom, and the dwarf irises have just popped out. The raggedy purple tulips have been out for a while; other tulips are still unfolding.
Sunday, April 23
The warm weather pulls us out into the yard. M is replacing a dying blueberry and rehabbing the area around it. E is dealing with grass incursions in her succulent bed in the back yard just outside our window. In the front she is expanding the range of her thyme. She has also been stocking the squirrel feeder with peanuts, mostly because she wants to keep the squirrels away from the bird feeder.
Also this week, some very sad news from Spain. E’s dear friend Margie passed away on Thursday. She took a big chunk of E’s heart with her, but we are grateful to have had a last visit with her this winter.
RIP Marcella “Margie” Chartrand de Espinosa.
I’m so very sorry for the loss of your friend. I thought E’s snow angel very appropriate. I’m so very glad you were able to see your friend recently. May she rest in peace.
May Margie rest in peace