Around the beginning of February, I get a little antsy for the time when I can find daffodils at the market. There’s just something about them I love, that seems to ‘trumpet’ that spring is arriving! (... or in our case - has been here for awhile!) I love that they are very affordable - & so I can get bunches & bunches & have them all around the house. I buy them when the buds are still completely closed - because they open up so quickly (within 24 hours) once they are put in water!
This year I’m especially loving them in the new green Ball jars that I found. The green jars seen to be perfect for holding flowers - they compliment all kinds & colors. I got mine on Amazon, because I also wanted the quart size - as well as the pint size & it was the only place I could find both. They were a little treat I gave myself for spring.
This week has already proven to be a busy one - filled with expected & some unexpected happenings. Yesterday, Dad fell in the front yard while working on a ground light fixture (up-lights one of the trees). It gave me a fright, as our front yard is covered in the typical Arizona front yard cover - small rocks (We're very water conscious here. . .) Also, the front yard has a little slope down to the sidewalk, & so when Dad took his tumble - at the top of the yard - he ended up rolling all the way down as well. Thankfully he didn’t hit his head (& trust me - I checked & checked!) - but his left hand, right arm, & knees took the brunt of the fall & he lost quite a bit of skin. So, I doctored his “boo-boos” (as he called them) & I confess I did boss him around for the rest of the day - not letting him do much of anything. I needed to run the the market to pick up some more bandages - as we used up all the large ones we had - & Dad promised he would stay inside while I was gone. I also told Bailey that he was ‘in-charge’ & to be sure that ‘Grandpa’ behaved. When I got back home - Bailey came running up to me with a look in his eyes like, “I tried. . . I really tried!”. Sure enough - Dad had gone back outside to survey where he had been working - to be sure I covered it up well. (Stinker!) I was concerned that he would wake up really sore this morning - but he seemed to be doing okay. (Or he’s putting on a good show - just to prove to me that he’s tough!) I”m trying really hard to not nag him & give him his space - but I fear my blood pressure will be tested this week!
Tomorrow, I’m going with him to a doctor’s appointment for a surgical consult on some upcoming surgery he must have. Dad has often had issues with skin cancer & has had several face peels & surgeries - to either help keep things in check or to remove areas that tested positive. The last surgery - two years ago - removed a basel cell cancer that was positioned about 1-inch from his left eye. They ended up needing to take more area than they first thought - & they also had to take about a quarter-inch of his upper eyelid as well. This was a bit traumatic for him & required having to have a plastic surgeon do the closing & a little more work several months later after all had healed. Well, this latest find is located on his right side the same area - about 1-inch from his right eye. Thankfully, it is also a basel cell type - but they already know that it is covering more area than the first one did. He’s a little worried about it - I can tell. But, we are so thankful that is is not melanoma - which is what he thought when the doctor first called with the test results. He came into the studio to tell me that he had heard back about the tests & when I asked him what kind it was - he couldn’t remember. I asked him if it was the basal cell kind & he said, “no. . . the doctor said something else.’ When I asked him if they said melanoma - he said yes. . . & I have to admit - my heart dropped a little. It was an anxious 24 hours waiting to hear from the surgeon’s office. When we didn’t - we called the dermatologist’s office & discovered that it was indeed a basal cell type of cancer. Whew! I can only figure that the doctor was tying to assure Dad that the cancer was not melanoma - but all he heard was cancer. . . next to his eye (again). . . & he remembered the word melanoma. So, even though we are praying (hard!) about how far this basel cell cancer might extend - hopefully not into his eye) - we are so extremely thankful that it is not melanoma!
Okay. . . back to spring-y things!. . . Several years back, I was blessed to be featured in Australian Homespun magazine (a magazine I love!) - & for it I designed a special project - a penny rug - just for spring. Because the magazine was a little bit difficult to find for a lot of folks here in the upper hemisphere, every time I posted a photo of it - I would get requests for the pattern. Then when I taught a wool club last year - all the ladies wanted the pattern. So, . . . finally. . . I have re-made the pattern! I decided that it will be an exclusive - only available on the website, & so that it’s as easily available for everyone, & as cost effective as possible - it will be available as a PDF download only. So, because of that - I’ve priced it at only $4.50 (USD)! I know that put mine out every spring (& even into summer!) & I hope that for all of you who have asked - this will make your day a little brighter! (. . . & that you will forgive me for taking soooo long!)
Well, I think I’ve made this post long enough. . . so I will end wishing you sunshine ⛅ & warmth filling your day!
♥ Bren
