Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind. ~Bruce Lee
Whew! What a month! The second half of January and first half of February have been a doozy for the Wilders. We (well…I) have been sick for the last three weeks. Ugh. It is finally passing and I’ve been going out into the non-grocery store and healthcare appointments world. I am fairly certain we had one of the influenzas tear through our home (fevers, body aches, general delirium, inability to move for more than ten minutes, loss of appetite, nose and chest crud, etc.); and I’ve had a lingering, exhausting cough that has been driving me bonkers! I’ve had the cough for going on three weeks, but it is much improved and doesn’t leave me exhausted by noon anymore. Ava estimated that it would be over in six days. I have a feeling her intuitive diagnosis is very close to reality! There is a light at the end of the tunnel!
Sick mama means lots of pajama days and books for the girls.
My mother grew up in Kansas, and there were stories she heard and has re-told of women going “crazy” on the prairie due to the wind. There were stories of women who killed their families after being left to fend against it with their children while the man-folk were gone. I don’t know how true those stories are, but I am definitely affected by wind. Not the winds from a little thunderstorm, but ongoing, terrible winds. In Colorado, we get those, mostly in winter, and usually before a big storm. This past weekend we had wind, but it was warm (in the 60’s) so I had clothes on the line. Every time I looked out at them, they were blowing up so high they were parallel to the ground. I didn’t lose any of the clothes, and they dried quickly! 🙂
Ha! I love that image. I was hoping to find stories from the Dust Bowl or other similar times in the Great Plains, but didn’t come across any. Admittedly, I didn’t look too long :). The winds definitely made me and my friends feel crazy!
Happy to hear that you are feeling better. Those winds are awful. Spring is not far off. We did have some snow the other day here in New York. I am planning the flowers to purchase and cleaning out the front of left over leaves. My sister spotted a Hyacinth popping up in a pot we had left. The Lily is starting to sprout again. One neighbor’s crocus has poked its head out already. Also planning to seed the front yard. The grass is brown right now. Enjoy planning your garden. That picture of Ava and Opal is so cute.
Marilyn
Oh! So exciting that the spring bulbs are popping up. I love how they look poking through the snow.
I live where, ‘if it isn’t, tied, nailed, welded down or VERY HEAVY!’ placing it in your yard is not advisable, a lot of the time. I still try. And yes this too shall pass. Hope y’all get well real soon. Best wishes for up coming event. God bless.
Thanks, Joan! We are all feeling much better–the crud hit us a few weeks ago and my cough is the last remnants of it. I like the quote!
Great blog! You always give us something to think about! Here in rural New York it has been really cold . Then a few days of above freezing temps gives us the light that , yes, Spring is coming !
It is coming! The longer days remind me of that every morning when I wake up, and it isn’t pitch black anymore. However, right now we are in the middle of a snow storm. I love how much spring teases us with sunshine, ephemeral flowers and late snow storms.
What a lovely article. I had visions of all that wind. Living in the midwest we deal with that quite a bit, mostly in the winter. I’ve had the crud also, but this too shall pass….along with the coughing…ugh. Today, we are receiving freezing rain so I’m using my egg shells from my hens to start my seedlings…..whoo hoo. It doesn’t take much to make me happy. In reference to the prairie ladies suffering more from the wind….I have a dear elderly friend who shared with me that her grandmother committed suicide because she couldn’t take the wind anymore…therefore leaving her mother and siblings as orphans because I believe the father had died prior to that…this would have been in Kansas. I know when the wind howls here it can be deafening and some what annoying but we keep plugging on. I wonder if I put earplugs in if that would block it out…lol. I pray for healing from the crud for you and a healthy pregnancy and warmer sunny days are coming.
What a good freezing rain day activity. I haven’t even ordered seeds yet…hopefully I’ll get at least a few things seeded before it’s too late! It is nice to get hands in soil even if it is within the confines of a house or garage. What a tragic story about your friend’s grandmother. I can see how persistent wind combined with drought could drive an already grieving, overwhelmed, under-supported person to the edge. What a loss.
Luckily we have bid adieu to the crud and are looking forward to enjoying some spring snow before it melts (or blows away!). Thanks for your well wishes!
You should stock up on some herbs.,,,astragulus is for anything viral, bactetia and fungus relief, .it fight those . Echinacea is great to fight tooth infections or blood infections. Both echinacea and astragulus and garlic together will fight cancers, flu and influenza. Milkthistle will speed up most recovery because it clean the liver out; everything goes thru the liver. I got thru that nasty flu bug by taking those and drinking lemon water ( squeeze two lemons and add 8 ounces of water to it).