Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Yard, bugs and what not

Spring seems to have sprung around here: in 15 years of Canada I do not recall any year with this kind of winter, and this kind of Spring! Are you kidding me? 24 degrees? In March?! March was the barely-over-zero-and-when-you-hit-5-plus-consider-yourself-lucky month.

So what do you think this girl does when she comes from work and it's 21 (Celsius) outside and all sunny and bright? First she asks her son to get out somewhere - but the boy is exhausted after the first day of school and doesn't want to go hiking, biking, or playing in the park. But he wants to go out - so he suggests 'backyard!'. Backyard it is - I first gathered a couple of books, but when I got out there... I ended up cleaning the shed (just don't let my hubby know the state of the grass, please, I threw everything we need to get rid of right in the middle of the yard :)). Right when I was done - I found some bulbs that started to sprout, so we decided to plant them... moved in the front yard... planted a couple... and we discovered we need to uncover the yard, it's burried under sticks (from all the windy storms of the winter) and debris.

No problem - got myself the rake, I start raking... and here is where it gets funny.

The conversation with my son went like this:

Squirell - watching us :)
* Mom, I want to help
* Great - what do you want to do?
* I can rake
* Sure - go get the second rake from the backyard

A few good minutes passed by until he triumphantly comes back with the rake and... a broom.

* I want to dust the driveway...

He properly engulfed me in a cloud of dust in one stroke

* Err... honey... can't do that
* OK, what else can I do? I want to help
* Get the rake and start raking on the other side of the tree (we have a nice maple tree right in the middle of the front yard)
* OK... ooohhh... a ladybug!!!

Rake gets promptly dropped, the kid is on his fours, admiring the ladybug... a few moments later he brings it to me and chats away about it... a few more minutes later he decides to put the ladybug on the tulip leaves.
In the meantime I am raking away, and I am at the end of the driveway.

* Oh, since you are that far - I will go back to dusting the driveway
* You can try...
* Ooohhhh - ants!

The kid drops the broom, and he gets down (laying on the driveway) to study the ants now.
Chat-chat-chat... questions-questions-questions...

* I wish I could feed them.
* ?
* I wish I could take a piece of cheese and see if they brake it smaller and eat it.
* Go get a piece of cheese and try it
* Seriously?
[You'd think I don't ever let him do anything... when quite the opposite is true!]

20 minutes later - the child is still on the driveway, feeding and studying the ants... and the sun is now going down...

But he honestly wants to help me clean - we argue about not having time to do it tonight and he's almost crying... I hope we keep this nice weather for a few more days!

Oh - the bulbs are still in the yard, waiting for another day - not the flower alley is visible, at least, we can plant them anytime :)

1 comment:

  1. Hello!
    Splendid !
    Am retrait niste momente pe care mi le amintesc cu mare, mare drag !
    Si acum , ca şi acum multe zeci de ani, fac tot aşa , ca Philip , ba chiar iau şi o lupă, ca să văd mai bine : furnici, gândaci, buburuze şi tot soiul de gângănii, frunze,flori, petale, pietre, scoarţă de copac, ş.a.m.d. ...
    Le găsesc irezistibile şi mă bucur de ele, chiar dacă asta înseamnă să amân, să întârzii alte treburi , pe care, de fapt, am pornit hotărâtă să le fac.
    Aici nu ştiu dacă sunt lipsită de modestie, dar acum mulţi ani, am citit că exact aşa făcea Topârceanu : in patru labe, de-a buşilea prin grădină, urmărea şi studia furnicile.
    Apoi Marele Brâncuşi : " trăim atâta timp cât rămânem copii " ( citat aproximativ , dar asta e esenţa ) . Şi, de când am citit asta , la care s-a mai adăugat ce am mai aflat despre Zen şi Japonia, în general,nu-mi mai fac probleme când rămân cu ochii pironiţi pe o floare, o rândunică , pe doi guguştiuci care chiar se giugiulesc pe o sârmă de telefon , de-a curmezişul şoselei, pe un cărăbuş care traveresează tacticos drumul , îl urmăresc şi am grijă să nu păţească ceva , ş.a.m.d.
    Mulţumesc mult pentru textul de mai sus !
    Sper ca şi altora care citesc să le provoace aceeaşi bucurie !

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