update, quick and dirty. Literally.

I am heavily considering mud.

We've broken most of the snow - snow - damned snow - records, for April.

The garden plot thickens. Ash, clay laden mud. Snow. Rabbit dung.

The German Shepard will likely address that whole 'vole' and 'rabbit' issue. This summer may be the year my children are officially horrified educated by mother nature. A necessary sadness, at some point. Probably the point where I am saying well, at least it isn't your cats.

I have little in the way of cultural notes. Neko Case "That's What I Am" and "Give Me Something to Remember" are new finds, but, I think, a year old or so each. The "Hunger Games" movie resonates with me quite strongly - I don't know if it's just Jennifer Lawrence doing a brilliant job, or my unease with culture lately, but it strikes very close to home for me. I've seen most of it at least three times, and while I would NOT recommend it for young viewers, I certainly intend to read it.

I have real issues with culture right now.

Because i have a goal of spreading light, not darkness. Positivity, rather than negativity, I have to consider seriously what is on my mind for a later post. But for transparency, I can flat out state I am disgusted. A layer of naivete may be to blame, but I am heartsick at some of what is hitting the news. Most of what is hitting the news.

I am not writing right now. The last poem I wrote was addressing reality TV. "Hunger Games" does a fair job of addressing what I was too incensed to write convincingly. Subtly. But it doesn't go as far. And the lower I feel pushed by what 'passes' for culture, Popular culture, especially, I am pushed to question, over and over, "who raised these children".

Raising my own - falling short of my marks, and setting new ones - occupies my time as much as the new dog. That leaves little room for reflection. As....adrift as I am, as a result, more pointed posts are to come. Just not now.

But if you are feeling unease, unquiet, well, you certainly are in sympathetic company.

The weekend draws near.

Pull the plug as much as humanly possible this weekend. It's like a warm cozy bath for your mind, and heart

Good night,

S.

Going to the Dogs

My life is rather upside down right now.... I have been away for a spell, as instead of free time, I now have a Zelda.

In January, my mother said farewell to Minnesota, and left me her lovely male Maltese-Terrier mix to watch, until she could send for him . His name is Bailey.

Bailey is a lovely, affectionate, funny, twelve-pound fluffball with limitless curiosity (esp. regarding cat-bottoms) and limited common sense. My 40-odd pounds of brother-and-sister-cats have limitless spite, and limited tolerance for bottom-sniffers.

This unhappy equilibrium came to a head in February, when Bailey got too friendly with the cat bottoms in a closed space, and brought my cats mounting aggressions to a bloody climax. Twelve pounds of fluff is no match for 40 pounds of tag-team, outraged hissy fit with claws, and both Bailey and I ended up seeing a doctor that night. Both of us got heavy-duty antibiotics - which went nicely with my guilt trip, as my five bites helped me imagine the poor guys pain.

The cats?

Not a scratch on them.

The Brawl (as it is now referred to) hastened my mother's efforts to get her boy back home (she succeeded wildly, the dog flew first-class to AZ and now has more fans than I do). This meant that my husband and I had to keep our promise to let our kids get a Dog of Their Own.

For one reason and another, we are now the proud parents of Zelda Emerson Von Sable Rock. German Shepard-Piranha mix, extroardinaire. She is cute, funny, affectionate, and has a somewhat consistent herding instinct. I can't say much for her taste in food, but I will say that when the weather behaves (unlike today. Sleet/snow mix. In April, folks) she gets a bit of exercise and is pretty well behaved.

When the weather misbehaves, so does Zelda.

Consequently, today we are thinking that Sunday puppy-school can't come fast enough.

Regular blogging may be on hiatus, but if I can recover my energy sometime soon, I'll post pics of the little menace.

With that, stay warm, stay safe, and do little somethings for strangers. Bought a starbucks for the gal in the minivan behind me today and drove off giggling - it felt terrific.  This week, we can all use some of that.

Take care,

S.