Hello Monday

And hello May.
And hello 400th blog post!
And hello to my dad, who recently shared with me that he's been missing my blog.
In addition to my regular Mama/Fabulous Wife/House Goddess/Crafting Queen duties, I've been in the job "dressing room" trying on a few and figuring out which one fits me best.
So, a fond farewell to the greenhouses and hello to Paper Pals, where I'll be working and teaching again. It feels good, like a warm comfy glove when your hands are cold.

I've also been spending some time getting to know my iPad. "Someone" (children) broke the hinge on my laptop and Mark convinced me this was the very best replacement. He was so right. However, having never worked with Apple products before, my learning curve has been a little steep. But it is really FABULOUS! We had a little fun playing on Face Time last night, getting versed before Mark heads off to Sweden later this week. Oh yes, you heard right, SWEDEN! FOR TEN DAYS! Lucky, lucky boy. He'll be meeting up with his science cohorts for a pow-wow and a little sightseeing. (You better bring me back something good :)

We're trying to get outside whenever the sun shines, which hasn't been much lately. Sounds like it's a wacky spring all across the states. We're very much looking forward to enjoying some heat next month, when the kids and I will meet my family in Tennessee for a little R and R. Ben has been working hard on his swimming in preparation; he's out of turtles and into frogs!

My awesome book group.
These ladies are a very bright spot in my schedule each month.

An Artist Trading Card I recently made.
I am really feeling the love for butterflies right now.

Of A Friday Afternoon

Gotta love the first bare feet of spring.

Tales from the Greenhouse

Chapter 2: Beauty

There's always something blooming at the greenhouses, so I took my camera to work with me last weekend for a photo safari.

Anise

Peperomia


Aristolochia

Tomatoes

Datura

Henbane

A bouquet of petunia, basil and mint

Message In A Bottle

Mark and his friend were floating boats last weekend and they found this mason jar washed up in some grass. He kindly brought it home for me.

These are the contents: a rolled up poem, a sticky pad with a note, a tiny pen. Turns out this jam jar is part of an English project at our college. A group of students sent jars floating around our area. If you find one you're encouraged to contribute and send it out again.

HOW COOL IS THAT?

'Round Here

Despite our recent illnesses (knock on wood, I'm the only one who hasn't gotten sick), we've been having a little bit of fun.

Mark and buddy Jon have been spending some time oaring on our small, local rivers. Early spring runoff is about the only time there's enough water to actually float on them.

Here's me and my girl before she headed out to play the flute in her Spring concert. I wasn't able to attend, but I saw the video footage and they sounded fabulous.

After recovering from a lengthy illness, Ben rallied on Friday to take home a 2nd place ribbon in his school's first-ever chess tournament. It was also crazy hat/hair day, so he's sporting his favorite zombie cap.

One more week until Spring Break. We don't have plans, but I'm itching to get out and take a long walk somewhere warm. It may be time for a photo safari to spot buttercups and grass widows in the coulee country.

A Little Change

Turning 45 propelled me to get a haircut and and add a little "spring" to the blog.

I Hate This Part

Welcome to the germ-laden Wildung house, specifically this green chair in our living room where poor sick Ben has been camped out since Thursday afternoon fighting a relentless fever, sore throat, congestion, and head and body aches.

I hate this part about being a mom. I hate the constant worst-case-scenario visions in my head, but as the days go by they increase in volume. There's been a confirmed case of H1N1 in a nearby town that led to the shutdown of their school district.

I know he will be fine. But if that fever doesn't break tonight...