26 March 2013

spring, sort of


I have been in the land of lincoln, at my parent's home going through my mother's things. a type of sifting and sorting not recommended for the faint of heart. the truth is that my mother was a great collector of a good many things. I have spent the better part of nine days going through these things, going through and going through and going through. trying to decide what stays, what goes. because it cannot all stay. I wish that it could, but it cannot.

while I was here, spring came. sort of. my dad took me out of for a lemon ice cream cone and the sun was shining and I thought, this is one of those moments. one of those good moments that people always talk about. I should maybe file it away in that brain file we all have, you know the one. Good Moments For Remembering Always.

while I was here, sixteen inches of snow fell and covered the ground. the ultimate middle finger to spring lovers everywhere. this was a kind of snow that was not kidding around, not even a little bit and before we knew it we were snowed in with nothing in the pantry but spaghetti noodles and an almost-expired can of cherry pie filling. and here all this time I thought I wanted snow, have been begging for it every single day since the first of december. and then I got it. and wouldn't you know? I did not want it. this snow threw everything all off (including my flight home) and so I threw a little fit for about five minutes. and then I threw my hands up in the air and baked a cherry pie. because what I know now is that the best cherry pies are ones that are baked out of desperation.

I woke up this morning to the sound of birds. I am nowhere close to being finished with the sifting and the sorting of my mother's things and I miss my dad so much already. but I know pink blossoms and my people wait for me in portland.

10 comments:

  1. What you have shared with us of your mother's belongings, makes my heart ache. Everything is just too beautiful. Portland truly is looking lovely: it's giving me hope for things to come...

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  2. Safe travels home, Andrea. The blossoms truly are wonderful right now. And next time I'm in a fit of desperation I'll try the cherry pie baking. = )

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  3. pie in the face of adversity. yes!

    also, portland misses you.

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  4. It seems you snuck a little Spring in there with your dad and that lemon ice cream and you will have it again.

    Cherry pie is my favorite. :)

    xo
    cortnie

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  5. beautiful, hard things.
    wishing you heaps of spring and smiles.
    xo

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  6. Ah, the sorting. No one can possibly prepare your heart for that. Bit by bit, bit by bit. May fond memories buoy you along as you go thru this painful, yet hopefully cathartic at times, exercise.

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  7. It really seems the weather has been 'off' all over the place this year. Here in England it has been snowing for the past few weeks on & off, and it really should be spring time already! Safe travels to you x

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  8. the sifting is the worst. my mom sifted through my dad's stuff when he passsed but i SHUDDER to have to sift through her stuff when she {hopefully not for a long long long time} passes. thinking of you.

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  9. Hope you have a safe trip back to P.Town :)

    The blossoms are so beautiful and the weather sunny YAY!!! :)

    Sorry, you had to sort thru your Mom's collections but hopefully they brought with them some lovely memories.:)

    Living in another country (6,000+ miles away) it has been one of the toughest things we have had to do "go Home" to sort things out.

    But the few belongings we do have we shared with our children and so they have that bond with their ancestors and the history and stories that go with :)

    I LOVE your photo and what plant stories those watering cans could tell :)

    Have a lovely day, cheers,T. :)

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