Moving Towards Summer

I'm trying harder at living in the moment, or at least do a better job embracing the moments, of every day life. I continue to take small bites from the elephant, creating a little more peace and calm in my home. As I declutter, I've found assorted candles that have been given to me as gifts. I don't know why I stuck them in closets, in shelves, or cupboards instead of using them, but I'm going to start. While I've recycled some for family service gift giving, I've kept quite a few. I love the glow, the subtle fragrance through my house. To not use, just adds clutter; after all, candles are a consumable. I'm  keeping shopping at bay, and if I do buy something, I get rid of something the new item replaces. 

I got this simple but pretty, glass pitcher on 70% clearance at Target for $1.29. It pours well and is the right size for water on the table at meal times and great for when we start eating many meals outdoors. Gone is a grungy plastic pitcher.  All weekend  I kept it filled with ice water and lemon slices and enjoyed drinking water so much more. I've weeded out more items from my closet since the addition of my thrift store finds.

Our weekends are pretty booked in May with the school play, wedding, Mother's Day, graduation parties, and getting the lake opened up. I'll need to use my Saturdays well and hope DH also uses his Thursday's. I'm accompanying a trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts with DD2's honors English and Social Studies class, and really looking forward to that. As we get to the end of May, the final school concerts fill up a couple nights. I really don't know how we fit traveling soccer in last year with everything else that was going on in May.  It feels busy now, but not chaotic.

Despite our cold spell and the blustery snow Monday (none stayed on the ground and Tuesday was sunny, if a little chilly) the calendar says Minnesota is moving towards summer. I love summer in Minnesota, but trying not to rush the good things about spring. With that, some random pictures of my May.

 

The pond is pretty busy with life, though the new ducklings haven't emerged yet. It looks like we have at least three families.

Papa duck 

   
Mama duck.

 
 I haven't a clue what this black bird with red wings/shoulders is called. There are a pair and they fly from the trees tot he bushes around the pond. As soon as I would get to close to capture their beautiful color, they would fly up and circle the pond, so I can't show you the color. They must have  a nest nearby.  If you know what the bird is, let me know.

I hope to take a picture a week of the lilacs that border the walking path. This is the first I can make out the flowers, and within a couple weeks, they will full on gorgeous. 

My rhubarb has to be dug up and moved, if it will survive at all. Here is my neighbors, looking like she will get a good crop for pies and our favorite, strawberry rhubarb jam. They have a rain barrel to keep their tidy little garden hydrated. 

 My old next door neighbor and good friend was a terrific gardener and had a pretty bed of tulips and hostas  at her curb and around her mail box. The new neighbor is not the outdoor type, let alone a garden. Still, these two tulips still emerged, defiant to their neglect. I'm no one to talk,as I can barely get hostas to come back, though fingers crossed, one plant group is fighting for survival, and if it lasts, I'll post a proud picture but I'm not tempting gardener fate.