Engines That Idle Rather Than Rust

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I usually delete the dozen or so comments like the one above. They always come from "Anonymous" who reads my blog pretty often and is full of praise in broken English. Anonymous does not have an interesting blog of their own, though. They usually link to some odd ad for products I do not need or links to some place in India for soldiers on R&R.  But I do have to admit they are faithful commenters.

I have not been blogging because I have been busy with the annual plant sale which is our biggest fundraiser each year.  While it only lasts half a day there is almost a full week of prep.  We sell our plants at really low prices, and we make around 5K.  My Solomon's Seal went pretty fast as did my Hellebores and my toad lilies.  Next year I will dig up the spreading turtle head (Chelone glabra) and my obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana) which is in the mint family and spreads -  vociferously-mine are the traditional white blossoms.

This year the exhaustion of three days of prep and plant moving and the half day on my feet talking to strangers plant lovers truly exhausted me.  In my early 70's now, I do begin to feel the wear and tear on both body and mind as the day wears on. We are all old-timers and I could see the younger of us with her recent knee replacement hobbling about, and the slightly older gal who had back surgery last month keeping her posture straight, and the older of us who has arthritis in her back finding places to sit every once in a while.

I also went on an all-day meadow exploration trip just a few days before (which I may write about).  This is a planned and planted meadow funded through a consortium, which is the new push to re-create more natural habitats on fallow farmlands for animals and insects and natural plants.  I was with a group of naturalists and master gardeners.  We talked the hour and a half ride to the meadow and the hour and a half ride back home.  As an introvert, this was like running a marathon for me!  I enjoyed the whole thing immensely,  but my brain and body completely shut down when I get home and I could not even find the energy to talk to my husband!

With all this activity I have been sleeping a little better, but it is more intense with lots of confusing dreams.  Last night I was in France buying tickets to a play and later returned to enter the play only to find I was exactly one minute late and the door shut in my face.  I was very angry and saying some nasty things about the French which embarrassed my husband and then I got on a train waiting for him to catch up only to find I was on the wrong train heading to far north France and not just the other side of the city to our hotel!  I was more exhausted and angry in the dream than frightened.

I do not think it is fair that my dreams are just as exhausting as my days.  Here is hoping your spring is now like the gentle blossoms that nod in the cool breezes...not a marathon!