So Long April

Here's an assortment of photos from my phone taken during the month of April (You're very lucky. I limited myself to only ten. Plus, there's a whole lot of gorgeous Spring photos going around, and I tried to pick the ones that featured flowers uniquely to my area.  Also, I realized I took most of my wildflower pictures in March...).

To start out the month, we had two Great Danes wandering around our neighborhood. They looked thin and old and tired, and they kept showing up for two days. So I ended up coaxing them home and putting them in an extra kennel we had. We kept them for the next three days. It was a very interesting experience. I've never been around Great Danes before, but I rather like them. There's something quite satisfying about huge dogs, and the Mr. was very ferocious in his barking. They were both old and very sweet (and had very good manners). Since we had to put down our thirteen-year-old dog, Frodo,  last Summer, I haven't really been around a dog where you could safely sit down beside them and just pat them (Cordelia is not that dog). It made me miss Frodo so much. We managed to find their owner which was good because I don't think Great Danes would fit into our lives at the moment, regardless of how sweet they were. As soon as their owner stepped out of the car, they ran over and jumped on him, knocking off his hat, licking his head, and ruining his glasses. Ends up that the Mr. was 9-years-old (6-7 years is a normal Great Dane's life span) and the Mrs. was 6. They were very loved and missed. Made the inconvenience so worthwhile. These are the things from God that really stop my craziness and help me just sit and breath. <3

Just an old building on the property. I've consistently taken pictures of it through the years in every season. I even won best of class once at the fair with one of the pictures.

Up that way is Cowiche Mountain. It isn't really a mountain. It's just a ridge that is behind our house and heads West to the foothills. Those yellow flowers (balsamroot) are all over the place. I wish I could teleport you here because pictures don't do the place justice. Can you believe that hill was burned in a wildfire 7 years ago? That's a crazy story I'm not going to get into. Once, when my siblings were younger and still at home, they went up there to slide down when it snowed (flawless plan, right?). Ended up that my sister got turned around and went down the other side of the mountain, two of our dogs accompanying her. She went to the right house, though, where the older couple were home, and the woman was making fresh cookies.

Another wildflower. Phlox. They grow around the base of the sagebrush bushes. I've always been fascinated at how the buds are before they bloom. The petals are all rolled up neatly.

Another wild flower. Shamefully, I don't know the name of this one. I feel like I should since I've lived my whole life in the neighborhood, but there are just so many wildflowers. And a lot of yellow ones.

Growing up, my grandparents lived right up a path that ran through the sagebrush, cheat, and eventually, wildflowers. We used to always pick bouquets for my grandma on the way up the hill.

I just took this last night as I was working in my garden - isn't it a grand view? I stayed out till about 8:45 because I couldn't bear to come in. It was too beautiful. One of those perfect evenings without wind (which we've been having a lot of lately). Even thought it had to be only 50 degrees, it really didn't feel that cold, but then I was busy hauling around compost and that sort of stuff.

Today I was hankering after a sandwich and ended up finding out there wasn't any bread. So...I made four loaves. I don't know how many loaves of bread I've made in my life. I started when I was 11. We used to go through four a week. Nowadays I don't usually make bread every week.

Well, the fourth loaf  kinda decided it wanted to be cinnamon rolls instead, and I really wasn't going to argue. Cinnamon rolls happen to be one of my favorites, and using the bread dough actually works really well. Probably some of the tastier ones out of all the recipes I've tried.

So awhile back, I set up a greenhouse and was so happy about it and thrilled and overjoyed. Then it blew over in our bad wind. I haven't put it back up because the wind keeps blowing, but I started these seeds indoors with the intention of sticking them out as soon as the seeds germinated. Since that hasn't happened, our window sills are full of little plants. They are actually the most impressive seeds I've started indoors. Except the Broccoli. The Broccoli (the closest plants) got a bit dangly in the search for more light. I'm hoping to get the greenhouse back up before this season is over.

In April, I added an additional twenty-something hours of work per month. It felt a little crazy at first, but it's a good feeling to know you can support yourself. I still have a lot to figure out, though, with the additional work. Mostly how to make sure I take advantage of all the time I have and not get swallowed in some bottomless pit. There's a lot of things I feel need my time, but at the same time, I feel like I'm not giving them enough to actually succeed; so not only do they take my time, they are also eventually part of my discouragement. It's a really hard thing. I can't do everything. I keep telling myself that, but it doesn't stop me from seeing everything that needs to be done.

I've been reading more lately. I'm currently reading 'Unoffendable' by Brant Hansen (Really good. Very convicting), 'A Novel Way' by an assortment of Christian authors, and 'Dune' by Frank Herbert. I've been searching for Sci-fi and Fantasy books to read (and like) because that is what I want to write eventually. So far, I haven't been very successful in the liking front. 'Dune' is the best Sci-fi I've read so far. Can you write in a genre where you haven't found a book you actually like in it? Do you guys have any Sci-fi suggestions? I don't really like the hard-core Sci-fi. I'm searching for stories that are based on characters, rather than inventions or planets. I want more of the magic and mystery of different planets and space ships, not the how.

It's almost 1 in the morning; so I think I shall tie this post in a knot and send it out. Hope all your April was wonderful!