Dept. of Stuff

[kaffy_r]

So ... Gratitude. 

I am grateful for these flowers. They bloom for a very short time every spring in Chicago, just a breath ahead of the forsythia bushes. To me, they are spring. There are some stretches of Ridge Road in Evanston where lawns are blanketed in the bluest blue for a few glorious days. I've always told myself I'd take photos of the flowers, and I finally got around to doing so. No enhancement needed for this picture.  Happy Spring!

Other things for which I'm grateful: 

I'm finally fic writing again. Three separate things (Chapter 26 of H&M, and two MCU tales) all at the same time. I'm not complaining - you go with what works, right?

I'm going to try to be grateful for the surgical team that will be working with BB this Thursday, but I'm not grateful to the "support" team at the surgeon's office. Incompetent twits. But this is a post about gratitude, so we'll leave that alone. 

I'm grateful for the clarity of mind that descended on me this afternoon, and which has convinced me - or nearly convinced me - not to run for Chicago NewsGuild local president. Being acting president is bidding fair to convince me to run the other way. Screaming. 

I am, as always, grateful for BB, and grateful for all of you. I hope your weekends were good, and that your week began well, and will end well. 

Comments

[st_aurafina]

Bluebells? So pretty!

Good luck for BB on Thursday.

[kaffy_r]

Aren't they pretty?

Thanks for the wishes for BB!

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Blessings to you...what a lovely post. Tell BB I'm keeping him (and you) in my thoughts.

*LOVES YOU*

[kaffy_r]

I will let BB know of your good wishes, my dear and thanks for reading!

*hugs you hard*

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

Oh, beautiful bluebells! You're right, we have to appreciate those moments when carpets of flowers appear, because they're so temporary.

(I often remind myself, when I'm grumbling in the middle of winter about the cold and dark, that actually I would hate to live on the equator and have the same weather and length of days all year round. Seasonal rhythms feel to me like such an essential part of life...)

ETA: PS and sending lots of good thoughts to BB for Thursday, and to you.

[kaffy_r]

I would hate to live on the equator and have the same weather and length of days all year round.

Yes! That's a thought I've had every year since I was young. I may dislike winter, but if winter's the cost of enjoying spring, autumn, and summer, then I will gladly pay it.

So those flowers are bluebells? This is good to know. I never remember their name, so they're always an unknown floral delight to me every spring. Their evanescence makes them all that more beautiful.

Thanks for the good thoughts to BB; we're taking all we can get!

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

I think they might be bluebells from the picture, but am no expert, particularly on North American flora!

[kaffy_r]

Well, given that many British and European flowers were imported by homesick pioneers to North America, they very well could be bluebells.

It's funny, I fully agree with specialists in native flora, who beg North American gardeners to plant native flowers and bushes — because North American honey bees and other absolutely necessary pollinating insects can't feed on the imports; they never evolved to do so — so when people plant the gazillion species of milkweed (which is actually very pretty, and is the only thing Monarch butterflies can eat or nest on), and many other equally gorgeous native plants, like coneflowers, I cheer. But I would still miss roses, lilac bushes and Queen Ann's Lace if those were successfully eradicated.

[liadt]

Pretty flowers! They do look like bluebells. I miss living near woods espc ones on a hill. It's great descending down into a bluebell wood when they're all out.

I hope all goes well on Thursday:)

[kaffy_r]

I can imagine it would be a gorgeous walk; I wish we had areas like that, but the flowers seem to erupt on peoples' lawns and no where else. And there are few, if any, hills in Chicago. Ah, well; at least I have these lovelies to look at!

[eaweek.livejournal.com]

Glorious flowers! They look like bluebells to me. I'm so happy our local flowers weren't damaged too badly by the late snowfall we had last week.

Best of luck to your BB--fingers crossed for good results.

[kaffy_r]

We had our late snowfall over the weekend, but luckily the flowers were already out and in full riotous bloom.

Thanks for the good wishes to BB!

[time-converges.livejournal.com]

The flowers are so pretty!

I hope everything goes well on Thursday! Keep us posted if you can. :)

[kaffy_r]

Aren't they pretty? I'm so glad I got the chance to photograph them this year.

And I will try to keep folks posted on the surgery.

[topum.livejournal.com]

Wow, the flowers are beautiful.

[kaffy_r]

Aren't they? I'd been wanting to take pictures of them for years, and only this year did I actually get around to doing that.