Being a tourist at home

This weekend, I played tourist and marveled at the majesty of nature in DC.



Through good friends and some opportunistic timing, I landed a ticket to the Spring Garden and Grounds Tour at the White House yesterday. No sightings of the President or First Lady, but I did see Michelle's vegetable garden, the Presidential bees, and stand beneath the wisteria of their banister.

From white house gardens april 2010

From white house gardens april 2010

From white house gardens april 2010

Today, I headed to the US National Arboretum with another friend to see the azaleas in their full glory. What beautiful and colorful sights on a rather windy day. Gorgeous!

From Natinal Arboretum April 2010

From Natinal Arboretum April 2010

From Natinal Arboretum April 2010

Lalelele

Nope. It is not a song or the sound of a baby babbling. Rather, it is an emblem of spring. Lalelele is one of my favorite foreign words. It's Romanian, and it means the tulips (For those language geeks out there, I think that one of the 'le' is the plural marker and another 'le' is added to mark the definite article).



As a final posting in my Lenten devotion, I thought that there was no better thematic title than lalelele, especially as I have seen them in their glory in the last few days about the Washington area. They are brilliant and quite surprising in their bold, colorful hues that stand out even amidst all of the other blossoming. They come as a splash of color announcing the warmer weather, the true onset of spring after months of storminess.

After forty postings to celebrate the changing of season and to ponder the murky transition into spring, I can say that the process was effective. Finding graciousness in my heart on good and bad days forced me to step back and reconsider my place. Looking through the digital archive of posts, I can see themes such as family, friends, and nature that come through over and over again. This highlights for how much I am thankful (and there are more than 40 things surely).

In another way, this exercise forced me to reckon with myself during a time of many transitions. For some reason, I seem to commonly face big decisions, get muddled in details, and burn out a bit this time every year. Perhaps it is the frühjahrsmüdigkeit, or spring tiredness disease, as the German's call it. Whatever it is that happens inside me in the spring, I think that it is a bit of spring cleaning of the garbage so that I can focus on the essential. This time of year is a reality check and a time to get watered so that eventually all is resolved in the shape of a few lalelele, putting everything in perspective and color once again.

Whatever happens in these coming months, I guess I'll just smile and take the tulips for the moment. Bring it on!

#40: Sandals in April

Is there anything more liberating than wiggling your toes in the fresh air for the first time each spring? Today, I swapped out my sneakers for some summer footwear. My toes (and feet) leaped with joy -- quite literally!

#39: Blooms and bikes

A friend and I took a motorcycle ride through the cherry and magnolia and forsythia and tulips and daffodils and blooms. Enchanting sights and beautiful weather abound!

#38: Human drama

I am thankful today for human drama that makes me rely on the infinite wisdom of higher powers and lean on the strength of my faith (rather than on the limited capacities of myself). Yes, thank God for rocks. I'll take them any day over sifting sand.

#37: Rest

I've been so keyed up these last weeks with visits, teaching, conference attendance, travel, getting along with others, contemplating the future, and just coping that I have neglected some of life's basics. Sleeping. Thinking. Relaxing. Wandering. My school is off for Easter and I am particularly thankful for this time to catch up on rest (as well as grading!).

#36: Parents

Ok. I know I am biased, but I cannot let this season go by without giving some gratitude for the awesomeness of those who brought me into this world, cultivated who I am with such love and patience, and later let me go while standing by with patience and wisdom.



I recently visited my folks in their part-time retirement location in southern Arizona, and I was reminded that my parents are truly awesome people. Some of their attitudes, orientations, and actions make them really cool people in general. They ride bikes. They have a cool dog. My dad is learning to carve wood. My mom is addicted to playing on the computer. We drank margaritas in Mexico together (see evidence, above). Ok. I realize that many people might have parents with the same qualities, and other progeny might hang out with their parents and do the same things. What makes my relationship so special with my folks is that we really enjoy each other and look forward to just hanging out -- whether on the side of their temporary RV home or on the front porch. I love talking with both of my parents, and I learn something new nearly every time we talk (especially about politics with my dad!). Our relationship continues to mature and grow, and I can count on them as wise sages, as people who know me with great depth and continuity, and as good friends.

When I have an inexplicably cruddy day or emotional reaction to something, I don't have to qualify a statement or perkify a feeling. I am listened to genuinely and responded to with care. With humor, awe, and love, I think my parents are the absolute coolest!

#35: Salad that can't be BEET

Whether you call it punajuurisalaatti, rosolje, or just plain beet salad, this is really fantastic stuff! A friend in California mentioned a beet gardening project and I saw the person who first introduced me to Finnish salad (aka punajuurisalaati) and I just got the craving. Tonight, I boiled up some potatoes, carrots, and beets... added some pickles and Granny Smith apples... mixed it with sour cream... My kitchen is covered in a red residue, but yum, yum, yum. It's worth it.

#34: Mentors

Today, I had the privilege of meeting up with someone I look up to as a mentor as well as meeting up with someone who has looked up to me. How powerful these people can be in our personal and professional lives! Who I am and who they are are intertwined, one affected by the other in seemingly opaque manifestations. I am left to think that it is nothing but the coolest of cool. Everyone should have the great fortune to be on both sides of this paradigm.

#33: Lunch

These series of posts cannot help but be centered around my convention-inspired life the last few days. Today, I had the chance to catch up over lunch (at a speakeasy!) with an old friend and my co-presenter for two presentations at the conference. It was precious to me to have the opportunity to reconnect face to face over a meal. We've kept a teaching blog for the last three years reflecting on our classroom practices and we've been friends since we first enrolled in graduate school and discovered like-mindedness in many regards, including both having served in the Peace Corps. Taking time to discover what was going on in our lives, our teaching, and our professional paths was invaluable. It was a chance to rediscover and rekindle friendship, and this is nothing at all to be taken for granted. I cannot wait to follow the career of my friend and continue having lunches over the years (if only those conferences weren't so far apart!).