Spring blooms in Los Angeles

 

 

 

Does spring not feel a lot like love, creeping up almost imperceptibly from the first buds in January to an explosion by its late, as if the plants themselves are wafting pheromones into the air. I often wonder how Reuben views spring with his absence of smell, the olfactory nerve. His mood unchanged with the seasons unlike my own, aloft with the sensuality of spring when it is upon us.

A magical way to start the new month with a return to the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens. Today we wondered through the children’s garden where the boys enjoyed the freedom of running through petalled tunnels and exploring the sensory delights of water on pebbles and metal, the Japanese garden where we soaked in the showy beauty of the peach blossoms, and here, at our favourite magnolia tree and a petalled strew lawn. 

This is my ultimate place of solace, my pleasure palace in southern California. So thankful that we have these places to visit in our dizzy world which enrich mind and body, earth us and allow us to stop and soak in beauty. 

Jump start

The blog is back in town and what better way to jump start it than with this. There’s quite some backtracking to be done but the best time to start is now. I hope you forgive us. In fact, perhaps I should ask forgiveness of blogger itself. It was always such a dear friend to me. Funny that. But it listened without any backchat. Here, Callum has a blast on the trampoline in our garden before his swimming lesson. They both really enjoy the lessons. Actually, Reuben enjoys every sport and every after school activity that comes his way. He has this quite wonderful joy for love, wanting to soak it all in. It becomes so very apparent when Callum’s having a moan or not feeling like karate on this night or swimming on that.

This blog was always such a cosy and comforting place for me. Perhaps of late I haven't felt the need to confide so much in it and I've no idea at this point who might be reading. But actually it doesn't matter. The reason for its being was to help me, then to reach out for help, then to record the journey we were on.

So here we are. We're back. 

New Glasses, A Teepee and Harry Potter

Doesn't Reuben look so cool and grown up in his new glasses!

He's been asking about them over the last few weeks, waiting for the day when they arrived. However, the dilemma of what to do with the existing pair remains in his mind. For the memento box!

We moved things around in the bedroom a little to make space for a photography gallery though I'm undecided on exactly how I'll be doing it, random or ordered. Decisions, decisions.

LEGO the Movie tonight and the boys were busy getting all their energy out in the meantime. They love the movie and since the first theatre broke down, we were upgraded to the 3D version. Needless to say their faces were a beautiful picture watching not only LEGO, but all their favourite characters, the dupes, come onto the big screen.

Felt a niggling ache in my stomach during the show, a precursor to a very sick Sunday. Luckily the boys in their youth kicked it back much quicker than I and were able to return to school today. This is me up for the first time in a day and a half.

How delightful it is to watch Reuben reading his books. He enjoys reading quietly to himself and through his new glasses, with their trim of green to bring out his eyes, I can just see the joyful words upon his lips.

Happy Monday!