Dancing toward spring

I had so much fun with the spring reading entry, and inspired by my friend Linda who blogs every week about her quilting (http://lindadrawingtime.blogspot.com/). That I’m aiming to give it another try.

I’ve just made a romp through this blog and maybe I’ll get the momentum back from more than seven years ago when I first posted. I found lots and lots of cat stuff—that a constant in my life. Surely an update is due? When I started this blog I was in a little, I mean little, southern town—beautiful but this city girl thought about home in Houston just about all the time. Gradually we’ve been making the transition back to the city. I’m still loving it--most of the time.

Now as Easter approaches spring is all over the city. or nearly spring.  Flowers everywhere, beautiful spring flowers.

BUT

 March doesn’t give up that easily—when I walked across a neighboring parking lot I got to watch a

Lift Off

Brown leaves, leftover leaves,

abandoned leaves scattered

across gray pavement.

Lonely leaves.

Suddenly

rising, swirling

high on the frisky March wind

spiraling, turning

Dancing toward spring.

Rabbit, Rabbit? Rabbit?

  

Somewhere along the line years and years, well yes, and years ago, son Patrick came home from school on the last day of some month seriously informing us we must say “Rabbit” the next morning before we said anything else.

            We questioned “why?” I’m not sure he knew. Was it to bring luck? Avoid bad luck? Why?

            Didn’t matter. We had to do it. Period. (Maybe he’ll read this and comment on what he remembers.)

             

            In all those years it has been a challenge. If I remember (and I’ll do it in just a minute) I e-mail Patrick and siblings a few days ahead a terse one word message, “Rabbit.” Sometimes, I remember midday on the first. Sometimes, the next week. Sometimes, not at all.

            I’ve met a few people who also do it.  A few insist it must be “Rabbit, Rabbit.” And recently I learned that proper form is “Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit.” Okay. It is according to one account properly done on the first day of the lunar month making it even easier to remember. It is a salute to Nature’s sacred critter, not a rabbit but looks like one, whose name may not be spoken.

            It might be that the last word on the last day of the month is “Hare.” I think that is pushing it.

            Here are a link that explain it more, http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2010/jul/21/rabbits-hares-first-of-month

     The source is the UK because, apparently, England is where the tradition began, and in some sort of poetic justice, or quirk of luck, Patrick now makes his home in jolly old England.

     Since this is the year of the Rabbit, seems more appropriate than ever to follow the practice.

     So tomorrow morning--Rabbit! Rabbit! Rabbit.

Earth Day

Earth Day--let's celebrate our planet. Here are two lovely views of my favorite doth on our globe the Lone Star State--especially the Bayou City.

The field of bluebonnets is near Enchanted Rock. (Thanks to brother-in-law Bill for the shot.) The city shot is on White Oak Bayou looking at downtown Houston.

And what will the birdies do then, the poor things?

We dashed off to Dallas for a weekend of visiting and for me to attend a gathering of Veteran Feminists. Talk about wonderful women—including Sissy Farenthold and Gloria Steinhem. Made me proud to have been a foot soldier way back then!

We thought we’d officially welcome spring just after noon on Saturday, but Persephone decided not to make her appearance. Winter persisted (P.’s here now—Houston is glorious, more in days to come). We took shelter in our room with books, and one poor pigeon must have thought we were having fun—she hopped right onto our 10th floor window sill and spent the afternoon. If it had been an opening window, I would have invited her in.

Saturday night we went to a party with new and old Dallas and Houston friends. We drove back to the hotel in a snow flurry, but we woke to lots more. Brrrrrrrrrrr.