May arrives ...

It's been a beautiful few days.  Cool nights, clear skies, bright moon, cerulean mornings, warm sun by midday.  Last weekend David had to work and I cleaned up the yard.  We'd heard that the city of Rockland would be picking up leaves and other yard debris this week so we wanted to get ours out there.  With Ella on a long lead, lolling around the yard, I raked up old leaves and debris, cut down dead branches, piled all up and dragged out front for pickup.  Here's the result of my Saturday work:

Down at Ulmer's Point more of the schooners are being pulled out of the water and prepped for launching.  

The biggest and most beautiful is now hauled out.  Here she is:






More signs of spring everywhere we look, including daffodils: 

And the pale yellow leaflets feathering the willows:













Of course, the ubiquitous Rockland gulls - a pair from our morning walk yesterday:

After work yesterday, late afternoon, I sat with a glass of wine in the cooling sun of our backyard with Ella while white gulls wheeled overhead, but low down.  The sky had paled, and the gulls swooped and dove, always crying, crying, just yards above us.  Beautiful.

Spring also brings routine checkups.  I'm due to drive back to Connecticut in three weeks for blood work, a CT scan and visit with Dr. M.  I have no reason not to believe all is well.  In fact I've never felt better.  But it's amazing how just making an appointment causes the odd twinge - probably from so much raking and pruning - to seem ominous.  

Meanwhile, it's good to be alive.

Peace.