Five days in a row now we've had the luxury of our windows open both day and night. Spring is starting to peek its head around and my attempts (very first attempts) to ever grow something real and genuine are starting to bare witness to life.When the weather was still in the 40's and grey outside, I took over our kitchen window sill hoping to nurture along the first start of our "home garden".
The first Sunday in April, Ray and I went to Home Depot and selected the Herbs, Vegetables, and edible Flowers we'd like be able to use in our (mostly Ray's) kitchen cooking.
It got very crowded in the kitchen between the my bike, the kitchen table, and all the pots.
And now that the weather has eased up, I'm taking out my bike, a gift from my father, and am biking regularly to work at Second City, which is about a 6 mile trip one way. Thankfully the city marks its Bike Routes rather well and I ride in a designated bike path the entire way to work.Oh Yeah, and I also got to go visit and play with my two favorite little people roaming this world...
And then the Sun started coming out and I got to move my pots out onto our porch for some real sun-action. It makes my heart swell with happiness and excitement to watch these little plants bust through and show themselves.
And I've also started to teach myself how to macrame' so that I can design and create the pot hangers for the flowering plants. The one on the left with the blue pot was created by someone else. The one with the yellow planter is in was my very first, and thus far *only* completed macrame' plant hanger. And the plant inside is the very first plant Ray ever gave me, my favorite Calla Lilly which has managed to hang on now for about 8 months.
Ray's theater had their annual fundraising Gala, and he brought home to me these lovely white flowers from that evening.
...but I'm pretty sure I won't be able to plant them.I've been working several projects per day, every day, now for nearly 4 weeks straight. They always say a teacher's work takes place mostly outside of the classroom, and for a music director that's very much the case. Then there is the fact that I foster the students to come to me for advice and assistance, which currently means being a mentor to a few student projects. Then there's my other shows outside of S.C..
In June I'll be music directing a very unique project, a solo improviser performance in a five week run by one of the city's most prestigious solo performer Andy Enginger (a local fave). He came to me and said I was his first and only choice for accompanying his show and I've decided that mixing up my gigs is a good creative boost for me, so I said yes. I'll play fewer shows for ComedySportz as a result, but it should be a very rewarding and profitably payoff.
Meanwhile, my favorite past-time this month has been the planning and considerations for Ray's 40th birthday party. Pictures from that will most DEFINITELY get posted here!
thoughts on Ray and me...
everyday
absolutely everyday
i find myself
falling in love with him
for the first time again.
Today was the perfect example.
I borrowed Ray's car while he was at work to run errands.
I came a little early to pick him up from work.
I walk into the theater and all the hammering, stapling, sawing and radio playing
of the tech crew busy building a full size theater set.
And I look over past the four young sweaty guys carrying their big equipment to see Ray...
up
in the sky
with the silhouette of a Man
inside his crane
inside his cotton green shirt and torn rust-colored painters slacks
reaching up high into a tree and attaching leaves to it's branches some
15 feet in the air.
And he looks so focused
and confident
relaxed and creative
fun and masculine
and enjoying his work
the art of making leaves
and as I walk up to the big Man up in the genie
to say hello
I felt my heart rush when I caught his dark handsome face
through those piercing brown eyes
behind those eyeglasses of insight
And I felt even a bit nervous
just as i would be nervous going to chat politely with a Big Crush of mine.
and I thought
had I never met this man before,
this very minute of standing here watching him at work
would be the ruin of me and my heart.
I would be hooked just by this single sight.
Just as I am hooked right now.
I feel like I am the one lucky princess
who has somehow, someway, won over the heart of the Prince of the land.
Surely anyone with any sense would fall hard for Ray if they caught sight of him
in the ways I have so many times.
How did I get so lucky?
How.
I love this man and its wild,
it makes me more vulnerable.
I know its suppose to strengthen me and all
but mostly
because i think i didn't really honestly expect my own prayers to be answered
i'm still a bit vulnerable and disarmed by the whole thing.
So i figure,
why not learn to grow some plants?
if my dream involves living out in nature with my Prince someday,
then i should probably learn some skills to make that a little easier to accomplish someday...
dare to dream,
that's what they say :-)
-Stephanie
