On a cold spring morning in Ohio, Mother Nature has already begun applying brilliant color to the vast canvas overhead, each brush stroke shifting the mood of the awakening day. I walk along the spongy ground; the evidence of a good soaking rain felt under my feet; and the cacophony of chirps and twitters in the canopy above greet me as I pass. My body feels the pleasant soreness of the past few weeks of our laboring and I take a few moments, before the busyness of the day begins, to fill my lungs with the cool freshness that follows the gloom of a rainy day.
Spring seems to be battling with winter for her rightful place in nature’s order. Even so, we are beginning to see her fragile signs, the tiny buds pushing forth, making daily progress, and the spring bulbs no longer able to remain dormant in their cold earthen tomb, anxious to display their brilliant colors before the heat of summer fades their beauty.
Central Ohio will be our home through much of this year, as we have chosen to spend time assisting my husband’s folks, allowing them to remain in a home they have shared for 50+ years. Looking over these 5 acres, there is much evidence of work needing to be done. Parents who have resided here these many years are no longer able to keep up the pace that this lifestyle demands. Weariness greets us at the end of each day but we feel the contentment that completing a project brings, although there is still much to be done. Looking around, we see years of projects that could be added to the list. Our satisfaction is the smiles witnessed on the faces of the two who have watched their home slowly decline, along with their bodies and perhaps a piece of their spirit, signs of hope beginning to replace worry.
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Paint Your Landscape 
Beautiful flowers!!! Great shots!!!!
Thanks Rexlin 🙂
It is so good to see where you are resting your feet for awhile☺
Thanks Laurie. 🙂
So beautifully put I had a lump in my throat just reading it. The pictures are lovely and the thoughts are precious…as are you. Thanks for your wonderful blog. Out love to you and Terry.
Thanks so much my dear friend. Hugs to you and David. Love you! 🙂
Thanks for that glimpse of spring. I have yet to see a bloom in my neighborhood.
They just started to pop here a couple of days ago.
Lovely. All of it.
Thanks Beth. 🙂
I love the photos and the fact you are putting a smile on the face of the old folk.. it is always very rewarding and you will be blessed for it…
Thanks Bulldog. We didn’t realize just how much help was needed until we got here.
Beautiful photos, as usual. Isn’t it nice to be welcomed by the flowers that have already arrived? I hope you will post pictures of your progress, as you go, so we can see your great accomplishments. Have fun, but don’t overdo. Anxious to see your veggies.
The garden is covered in black plastic right now but I plan to do a post at some time about the garden and some other projects we have done. Thanks Joan. 🙂
Beautifully written LuAnn…..and of course great photos. I’m sure your vision and talents will have that place in tip top shape in short order. Spring can’t come soon enough for me. I’ll be a happy camper when I see the tulips in bloom. Happy gardening 🙂
Thanks Ingrid. As we look around, there is so much to do that at times it seems to be a bit overwhelming. We will take it like eating an elephant, one bite at a time. Spring keeps teasing us but we have rain in the forecast again for the next couple of days, then the temps are going to drop.
Overwhelming….I can so relate as I make my way around here room by room. Yesterday the winds were super bad around here, which usually means it’s heading your way 😦 We’ll probably go from winter conditions straight to hot summer. Here’s to one bite at a time 🙂
Your comment about going from winter to summer is the same concern I voiced the other day. It seems the wind always blows here in OH. Wind and I are not the best of friends. 😉
When my hubby died, I gave up trying to keep up our lovely home out in the boonies with the six acres. It’s just way too much work (as you noted) without a kindly LuAnn to help with the chores. I miss the peace and quiet and the many birds and other critters, but there are advantages to being closer to civilization. How lovely of you to devote your time and energy into helping out. I’m sure it’s very much appreciated.
I know they feel more comfortable having family so close by for emergencies. This is way too much property for them to handle but they are adamant about staying in their home so we brought our home to them. We will make arrangements for help during the cold winter months as we are leaving before the snow starts to fly.
So glad you can make their lives a little easier and happier. Can’t wait to see your future garden.
Hopefully something will grow! 🙂
As ever a lovely glimpse into your lives, so colourful, I shall soon be in WA, for a bit so hope to see something equally as wonderful, although no doubt I will. The words, I didn’t mention the wonderful words, and they are just that.
Thanks SteJ. Have a fabulous time in WA. Wish I was going to be there to meet you. 🙂
as do i, it would be a regular bloggers gathering where that the case!
Are you going to be anywhere near where Penny lives, by chance?
I am going to be exceedingly close as it happens, in fact on the leeward of the door step to be exactingly accurate!
Very cool! 🙂
I could not agree more with you if I tried and I have been trying as I type this, it’s just impossible!
😀
Hi Lu and Terry,
So glad to see that the two of you are now settling in and spending quality time with Terry’s folks. It is such a wonderful opportunity for the two of you to spend this quality time with them. I know that the rewards of helping these wonderful folks with their many chores and renovations will enhance your life experiences beyond words. Family is always the most important thing in our lives and the two of you exemplify this with your every day contributions. We hope you are both well and know we are holding up the camphosting end down here at San Elijo. Keep up the wonderful opportunities you are experiencing. We are heartily cheering you on.
Rog & Gayl
Thanks so much Roger and Gayl. We feel so blessed to have gotten to know the two of you and when we are out in San Diego we hope to spend some time together. Enjoy your time at San Elijo and say hello to everyone for us.
awesome place and it is wonderful you are there to help your parents out, who would want to lose that beautiful place and live in some apartment or something with a bunch of other people where your whole life is controlled by someone else. yuck! beautiful flowers too, I was admiring them here in ne ohio, I seen a star magnolia in full blood, the saucer magnolias are in full bud and the forsythias are blooming, and I have been able to do some yard work finally in my yard too.
It is great to finally see spring arrive in Ohio. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Spending quality time with the old folks is an admirable gesture. It will be challenging initially for sure but rewarding at the end of the day.
I see blooms all around here in Georgia and I am loving it. Spring is my favorite time of the year. Great shots and thanks for naming those flowers it helps a lot for I always want to know flower names.
-ML
My pleasure Mona. At one time we lived in Atlanta and I remember spring being a favorite for me. I’m enjoying your posts for the southern states and look forward to those along the east coast. As long as we are anchored to Ohio, we will most likely begin exploring these areas and your posts will be a wonderful travelogue for us. 🙂
The farm looks so lovely. My dad grew up on a farm, so where you are now is very special to me.
Thank you for sharing a little bit of your life. You two are making two people very, very happy.
Thanks for the kind words Marsha. There is so much work to do here that we cannot imagine how the folks have done it for so long.
“Paint Your Landscape” is perfect for this post and blog. What beautiful, expressive, and creative writing! I had to read it twice. Being a teacher, and I must say poor writer, I so admire people who paint with their words. This post just takes you away. The pictures you chose so compliment the words. Wonderful job! Thanks!
Taking care of 5 acres isn’t easy. And having had it get out of hand will keep you busy for many days to come. But I am sure it is very rewarding for your in laws.
Thanks so much for the kind words. It does seem a bit overwhelming at times when we see what has to be done but we think the rewards will outweigh the work that’s needed. I must admit I am green with envy just reading your posts. Wish we were traipsing through Utah. You are giving us some great ideas when the opportunity to spend time in Utah presents itself. I feel like we’re living vicariously through the two of you right now. Thanks! 🙂
Spring awaking looks cheerful. “…signs of hope beginning to replace worry” is heartwarming, and it will be another chapter of the life journey for you and Terri. Thanks for taking us to Ohio.
My pleasure Amy. 🙂
LuAnn, you and Terry are doing a wonderful thing for his folks. My Mom had Alzheimers, and all the children pulled together to keep her in her house as long as possible. It took lots of energy and focus, but we made it happen for a few years. Looking back, it’s something that we will always be happy about, and I’m sure that you both will as well.
Thanks for the kind words. It is always comforting to hear others’ stories about a subject that can be heart wrenching at times.
So wonderful to read once again your beautiful and most individual style of “LuAnn writing” that is yours alone. I did miss you. Your photographs of spring (gorgeous) as You and Terry go about the day with your onerous but loving tasks I am so pleased you are taking a little time to feel your way into your current environment and most especially share with all of us your devoted readers. Much love to You and Terry, a special “hi” to his folks, Penny xx
Thanks Penny. We have been so immersed in projects since we arrived that it took everything for me to just prepared meals at the end of the day. That will be the case for some time so I will not be posting as much but I’m sure I will find my rhythm. 🙂 It has been difficult for me to keep up on blog reading as well, so hopefully everyone understands.
Oh LuAnn, you are so darn special to all your followers and I guarantee that absolutely every single one of them understands … more than that they think well of you guys (as they should) for being there and making a difference. A huge, needed and loving one. I personally hope, as the two of you adjust to your new environment that each of you will find a little time for R & R, and then perhaps (for the pleasure of it) you can read and enjoy the blogging experience, until then … take care of you most dear friend of mine! 🙂
Thanks Penny. Your comment means more to me than you know. 🙂
The natural cycle of life – both joyful and sad. In reading your post I feel sadness for the two whom have put their lives into this land – they know they have done their best, but nature is just not helping. I also feel joy knowing that a lovely transformation of their beloved landscape is happening for them to witness. Your kindness, one day, will be returned! Enjoy this time. It looks lovely there.
Your kindness touches me so! We hope that our decision to spend this time here is comforting to my husband’s parents. This seems to us to be part of the cycle of life. Parents raise their children and the roles reverse when needed. Thanks for stopping by.
BTW Sheila, do you write a blog? If so, I would love to visit. 🙂
As lovely as living in S. California is, the one thing I’ve never experienced, and regret, is what I imagine to be the joy of seeing the first flowers of spring pushing upward through the cold ground. Beautiful photos. Thank you for sharing.
My pleasure Tamara. 🙂
Such a beautiful way to spend your days. We also took care of my husbands Mom ( in our home for 15 years) after the passing of his Dad. The rewards will be plentiful!
Your photography is beautiful! Just love the spring colors.
I found your blog on Oh The Places They Go.
I am adding your blog to our blog roll and look forward to more posts.
Gay Taylor
good-times-rollin.blogspot.com
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Thanks for the visit and your kind words. I will be going over now to check out your blog. Have a great weekend! 🙂
Beautiful signs of spring, LuAnn. Your husband’s parents must be so joyful to have you both there to help out. Wishing you both strength for the task ahead. Your labors will surely be blessed. *hugs*
Thanks for your kind word Sylvia. 🙂
How kind and thoughtful of you both. I can imagine how delighted Terri’s parents must be to watch the property being restored and to have you so close. Good luck Luann 🙂
Thanks Madhu. On a more exciting subject, I believe we will be traveling to SE Asia this winter so I will be scouring your blog site as the time approaches. 🙂
Happy to help Luann. Email me if you need any specific details.
Thanks Madhu. 🙂
On another note, I was wondering if you had heard from Rommel. He hasn’t posted or commented in a while. Hope all is well with him.
I haven’t. He had emailed me before my post on Dana Point, saying he was going to do a post about our visit. I decided to do a post quickly because I didn’t have a good photo of him and decided to introduce him as the mystery man. I have emailed him twice and have never heard back. I told him I was concerned about him and haven’t heard a thing.
Enjoy the ‘soreness’, LuAnn; it’s a sign of pleasant labours of love.
Here’s hoping your endeavours will spruce up your in-laws home, and bring a smile to your husband’s lips….
Thanks Carolyn. Although we miss our travels, we are already seeing the rewards here at my husband’s parents’ home.
Wonderful, LuAnn….
Some things are meant to be…!
it’s so beautiful there! enjoy your time with terri’s family and enjoy digging your fingers in that lovely earth! it’s a great incubation chamber for both of you, and i predict great things as a result… what? who knows, but i look forward to your tales! z
Thanks Z! 🙂
Wonderful to see the colours spring coming. I do love the green strawberry. Loved to read this post!
Thanks Ute. 🙂