3/31: cat comfort

Yesterday wasn't an easy day, and the cats cheered me in the evening by playing a bit and then sleeping next to me.  When I woke up this morning their comforting continued, and I'm so grateful for it.

3/30: thinking about greek tragedy

...to prepare for class tomorrow.  It feels a little strange to write of tragedy as a good thing, but perhaps when it's on the page (or stage) and not in other parts of life, it is a good thing to meditate on.

3/29: new-ish translation

Joel Agee's translation of Prometheus Bound came out last spring, and I was glad to use it in my myth class today.  What a play!

3/28: two sides of the coin

It was good to visit Chris in New Mexico, and it's good to be back home.

3/27: petroglyphs

We saw so, so many petroglyphs on an early evening walk!

3/26: kasha-katuwe tent rocks

We visited this national monument today and hiked/climbed from the base to the top.

3/25: a full day

Looking at petroglyphs in the morning.

Trying some donuts from Rebel Donuts (perhaps the best donuts I've ever had).

Flying, with Chris piloting, in the afternoon.

Buying some food at Trader Joe's, a store we miss from our days in Los Angeles.

And walking along the Rio Grande in near sunset.

(A view of Mesa Redonda from the flight with Chris:)

3/24: santa fe and sandia peak

I'm in New Mexico with Chris, and we spent most of the day in Santa Fe. 

The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum ended up being anti-climactic/off-putting, but I was glad to see her painting of Mount Fuji (which I hadn't known about before).  The let-down of that museum was off-set by the pleasures of the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts.

And in the late afternoon we took the Sandia Peak tramway and looked out over Albuquerque.

3/23: really smiling

...at some passages in Goldengrove Unleaving by Jill Paton Walsh.  The novel ends up taking a disturbing turn and I'm not sure how I feel about that, but I've appreciated much about the book overall and am glad I read it.

3/22: a variety of goodnesses

Filling up the car with recyclables and dropping them off.

Finishing cleaning sooner than I had thought I would.

Taking a quick walk in the woods.  The dogwoods weren't blooming yet, but that made me look at other things.

Spending time on the porch with the cats.

Listening to the wind.

Feeling the sun.

Seeing a pop of sunset color and the rising moon at the same time.

Watching the cats pile into the same cat bed and cuddle together.

Eating a peanut butter cookie I didn't expect to get.

3/21: some -ings

Streaming movies while cleaning house and taking a few breaks to write Postcrossing cards.

3/20: loading/downloading

I've been meaning to download some programs to my computer, but I kept putting it off.  Today I did it, and now my computer is loaded up with the latest Word as well as a new photo editing program.  I tinkered with special effects on a few photos, and I find this result pleasing.  The arches seem optimistic to me, and fitting for the first day of spring:

3/19: addresssing two backlogs

...of assignments to grade and of laundry to wash.

3/18: clearing

...the recyclables out of my office.

3/17: treats

Irish soda bread (from my mother) for breakfast this morning, and the Homeric Hymn to Hermes in Myth this afternoon.

3/16: sunrise

I looked out the window at just the right moment this morning, so I got to see the clouds in the sky all pink.

3/15: pleasures at the start of the day

Enjoying reading my students' answers to one of the test questions.

Sitting on the porch with the cats while doing my class prep for this afternoon.

Listening to a woodpecker.

3/14: pleasures at the end of the school-day

Starting to read a new book and feeling excited about it.

Going to watch a colorful sunset.

Catching sight of some bats at the lake and on the walk back up the hill.

Seeing the bright moon in a clear sky.

3/13: no medicine

I'm not completely well yet, but at least I'm not still taking medicine!

3/12: redbud photo

I love the redbud trees.  Although I find them hard to photograph, every year I have to try.  This year's attempt, in the morning after rain:

3/11: verba

My students played Latin Scrabble today and did a nice job of coming up with words!  I enjoyed seeming them so intent together.

3/10: better

After 2 discouraging days at work, today was a little more encouraging.

3/9: contrast

Redbud blossoms against a grey sky.

3/8: a plan

A review of Ways to Disappear made me want to read the book and also made me think of a colleague.  I don't know her in an outside-of-school way, but I know she likes to read novels and somehow I thought she might like to read this book.  Today I asked her if she wanted to read it over spring break and then discuss it over coffee.  She agreed and seemed happy at the prospect.

3/7: a few minutes

...photographing blooms.

3/6: more and more

Spring is unfolding more each day.  I'm still under the weather, but I did go out in the yard long enough today to take a few pictures of the budding bridal wreath:

3/5: addressing the dishes

While I've been sick the dishes have been piling up.  Today I started to deal with the situation, and happily it wasn't quite as bad as it looked.

3/4: connecting

...some primary and secondary readings in class today.

3/3: a good call & cats

Another at-home-sick day, and I'm glad I realized sooner rather than later that I wouldn't be well enough to teach today.  It's given me the space to rest and focus on getting well (and I think I have turned the corner on it).  Through it all the cats have been very attentive and affectionate.

3/2: warmth & comforts

So grateful for a warm house in which to try to get well.  And cough drops.  And juice.  And medicine.

3/1: amidst it all

A weird day:  illness, plus sad news from the little part of Pennsylvania where I grew up, plus puzzling things at work.  But also:  magnolias opening in the wind.