The Weight of Tulips

I try not to do it... (you fellow intuitives will know what I mean): in shameless scorn of all logic or reasoning, building metaphoric associations between completely unrelated concepts or circumstances. I guess we all do it to some extent though - even if only in fleeting thoughts... tying a groundhog's shadow to a season's length, a broken mirror to fortune's status.

I am aware that this is a sure way to experience disappointment - at best, we waste thought on silly superstition; at worst, we, albeit unwittingly, venture to control (by prediction) things far beyond our reach. There is some sense of human poetry to it, however, and sometimes I simply can't help myself; the best I can do is try to keep my logically irreverent metaphors to myself. But, alas, in what I'm about to share, I will not succeed even in that.

I did a post last Fall - on planting bulbs. Whispered a short prayer for God's help in making the bulbs come up this spring (after 3 years of failed attempts), and promised to post pictures if they did. What I didn't share in that post was that, for 3 years, each Fall I've planted bulbs, I was simultaneously weaving a metaphor between their possible future blooming and my daughter coming home.

"Okay... if the bulbs bloom next spring, it's a sign that this is the year... if they don't, that's a sign too."

Well... for what it's worth, the tulips above are in my garden. And there are 10+ more set to bloom in the next few days. Ironically, this open one had a close call with an eager toddler fist yesterday afternoon (a friend's little girl). Had it not been for my silly metaphor, I'd have let her pick it... and next year, (God willing), Eva can have her pick. But, all things considered, little Ava Witkowski and I took a fun walk to collect pretty dandelions for her mommy instead. :-)

Maybe this is the year... Perhaps such signs are better based on her brimming closet, cookbooks as reading material on my dresser, an overflow of toys in every room of the house, a growing sense of readiness and unfolding hope. But the tulip metaphor is in my favor this year; think I'll stick with it. Too bad for the daffodils and hyacinths - they're going to miss the party!

P.S. I cooked pw's Penne Pasta with Asparagus and Bacon this weekend. After a near miss with boiling the pasta, I did just fine! I'm sure to remember to let the water boil first next time... ;-) Thanks, pw - it was great! (And Ed's calling to schedule dinner this week).