Okay, Susan, I have been poked... and this will be a LONG post!

I have no real excuse for how long it has been since I posted here.  Time passes.  Things happen.  Winter slowly, slowly, slowly drained away.  Huge piles of snow evaporated or melted leaving ugly grimy smaller piles of icy muck.  Days began warming, with nights staying below freezing.  Yet March in Maine is mostly winter.  Windjammers still in their shrink-wrap winter coats.  Ice in the harbor breaking up, but not gone:

Nights began warming.  We wake to an occasional inch of snow fall.  Finally our compost bin emerged from the snow.  The backyard cleared enough to permit walking to the bird feeders.  The raised bed garden was clear of snow, although the soil is still frozen.  It began to feel like spring might come.  Down at Ulmer's Point, the first windjammer was pulled from the water into dry dock to prepare her for summer work.  That means - notwithstanding the lingering piles of slushy ice, April is here:

Then came April 9th.  Here's what our backyard looked like that morning last week:

Even though David had to drag out the snow blower to clear the driveway, and we both shoveled around our cars and cleaned them off, within 24 hours most of this new snow was gone.















And so it goes.


Meanwhile, a quick trip to Connecticut and time with Helen, giving back a little of what she gives to so many.  Getting, suffering  and recovering from a bad cold, with David's kind support, then supporting him through the same.  Ukulele ensemble classes continuing (last one this coming Monday night).  David completed a wood carving class and he's now finishing his carving of a green-backed heron.  I submitted a poem to the Rockland Library's poetry contest; not particularly hopeful of being recognized this year, but it helps motivate me to keep working on poems.  David and I attended an evening of poetry and jazz sponsored by the new Belfast Poet Laureate.  Passover came - (and ends tonight.  The synagogue had a wonderful community seder.  David and I both volunteered at the Community Easter Dinner organized by the synagogue.  The room was beautiful, the volunteers hardworking and fun.  The food - donated by local restaurants and volunteers - seemingly endless.  We served about 120.

And so life in Mid Coast Maine goes on.  Here's my current selection of samples from The Free Press's "Calendar of Events."

• Blade Shearing School, Fri., April 17, 1-4 p.m., and Sat., April 18, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, New Gloucester. Sheep-shearing experience recommended. $120 includes manual and lunch both days. Spectators welcome. FMI: UMaine.edu.

• Women's Chainsaw Safety Class, Sat. & Sun., April 18 & 19. Hidden Valley Nature Center. 16+. All levels. $150/$130 HVNC members. Scholarships available. FMI: andy@hvnc.org.

• "Joy in Everyday Life," Tues., April 21-May 19, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Brunswick Shambhala Center, 19 Mason St. FMI: shambhalabp.org.

• "Rightsizing Your Stuff," Weds., April 22, Picker Family Resource Center on Pen Bay Med Center campus. Free talk by organizer Diane Smith. FMI: 921-8950.

I must say, I am very tempted by the Women's Chainsaw Safety Class as well as the Joy in Everyday Life.  I'll bet there are some women who find joy every day in chainsaws!

This morning the sun is out.  Ella and I went down to the boat school's dock.  They've put the first piece of the floating dock in the water and their small sailboats are out.  That means Community Sailing classes are starting.  That means Spring is here.

Coming up:  David's niece, Sara,  graduates from nursing school first weekend in May.  Rock on, Sara!  My 5 year CT scan is scheduled for May 11th back in Connecticut.  I hesitate to write the next thing I'm thinking, because, I guess, of some deeply held and instinctual superstition about "tempting fate," but I'll do it.  According to my doctor, if this CT scan is clear, that's it - no more CT scans!  Five years, NED - no evidence of disease.  They don't say "cured" with cancer, at least not often.  Knowing those who suffer so much harsher outcomes than I have, even the very worse, like Helen's dear Kim who lost her battle with late stage ovarian cancer last week - may Kim's memory be a blessing for Helen, for Kim's daughter and the grandchild she got to meet and spend time with, and all Kim's family and friends, now and always - and a colleague whose 20 year old son has a tumor wrapped around an artery in his leg - thinking of what so many others must deal with,  I feel so grateful for these past 5 years, for my past and current health, for the beautiful place I live, for my family, for my friends.

Every day is a gift.  So I think ahead to that 5 year CT scan, but try not to dwell on it.  This day, this one, right now, here, today - that is all there is.  And it is beautiful.

Peace.