Rollercoaster Ride

So far, 2015 has started off like a roller coaster ride or maybe more like a sled ride down a huge snow covered hill with major peaks and deep valleys  I'm making that analogy because of the vast amount of snow we've gotten over the past 4 weeks.  In my area, close to 70 inches.  It's amazing.  And while it is beautiful, it's a bear to move and there's nowhere to put it.

Then my husband's brother (my favorite in-law) passed away unexpectedly one week before Super Bowl.  My husband and he were close.  They would talk through every New England Patriots game..... sometimes yelling, sometimes agreeing... but always on the same side. They would talk regularly through the week, too, about anything and everything - the weather, landscape work, how to upload songs to the mp3 player, what's going in with the Celtics/Patriots/politics. My husband, though he doesn't say much, misses those conversation - misses the family connection - just misses his brother.  I miss him calling the house and joking around on the phone.  I miss spending a Sunday afternoon with my brother-in-law and his wife - going out to dinner or browsing through an antique shop.

And now my former brother-in-law is dying. I've been separated & divorced from his brother for 40 years but I still thought of my former brother-in-law as family. I loved him. My heart aches for his son, daughter and granddaughter.  I recently went to see him after he was admitted to the local hospice facility.  It was difficult to see him so thin - so frail - so quiet.  And yet, it was good to see him smile, to give him a hug, to talk to him a little.  It was good to let him know I love him.

I'm hoping that with the melting of the snow - then end of this winter - will bring some calm, some hope..... Spring.

My 1st Morning Muse

Hello, morning! Everyone talks about how long this winter has been.  I guess people are feeling it more this year because we've had a lot of snow and exceptionally cold temps.  But it's winter, people! It's supposed to be cold.  We're supposed to have snow.  It's part of living in New England.

But, as much as I love winter - all the seasons actually except for the hot hazy humid days of summer - I am looking forward to spring - warmer temps, more sunlight and sprouting plants.  This weekend we turn the clocks an hour forward.  The thing I don't understand is why do we do that in the first place?  I mean, we turn the clocks back an hour in fall and an hour forward in the spring.  What's the point?  Why don't we just leave the clock alone. Well I'm adding a link to the history (at the end of muse) but I really do think it seems like a waste of time.

So I'm really feeling the need to add some spring this weekend. I think the best way to do that would be to figure out if I want to start plants indoors soon. I've done it for the past couple of years but the plants don't seem to get as big and robust as you see in the greenhouse.  I tried using a heating element under my plants last year and that helped but they aren't getting enough light.  So I'm considering buying a plant light or two to help. But the next question, is this really going to be cost effective?  What type of light do I really need? Does it need to be one that just provide what sunlight would provide or should it also provide heat? How much will it increase my energy bill?  UGH! I'll be doing some research on that and getting back to you all on the outcome.

So in addition to planning my garden, here's a list of some other things I'm planning to do to get my spring mojo on...

• Weeding through my clothes- omg! I've got so many clothes that I never even look at
• Continuing my workout (big posting for another day)
• Getting my 15" and 18" spring & summer doll clothing line out and posted
• Organizing my sewing area
• Bringing in some dormant forsythia branches to bloom

So stay tuned.... planning some pictures and many more musings.

Here's the link to Daylight Saving Time - http://geography.about.com/cs/daylightsavings/a/dst.htm

Til next time....