promise of spring

there's something about early springtime in the mountains that gives my heart a little hug. lately, i feel like i have been falling in love with judy branch all over again. i love the sound of the rain on my tin roof & the bubbling of little judy branch when it is full with waters rolling down from the mountain top. i love how one evening i will have my kitchen windows open listening to the songs of the peepers, and the next night and day a snow storm will drop several inches of snow. one more day, the sun melts it all away and the deer are back to grazing near my soon-to-be garden spot.

this weekend has been a simultaneous uplift and challenge to my spirit. i got snowed in, which is a truly lovely experience out here on judy branch. wood stove roaring, fuzzy critters to keep me entertained and also keep me warm, and a beautiful wonderland to explore in the day. i went on a long walk with bella and the JB pack, taking photos of all the judy branch wonders covered in snow. inside was a different story. as soon as the snow storm really began, around 4AM friday night, little beulah went into heat. talk about a change in atmospheric pressure! so while we've all been uplifted by the snow, we've also nearly lost our minds with the incessant yowling and often unwanted affections of a kitten who just now became a queen.

with all this going on, i have also come to terms with how i feel about my job situation. i have made a tough decision and decided to be patient rather than accepting a job that would take me to a place i'd like to live but not really fulfill me in the ways that i really need to be fulfilled. i am learning that geography isn't everything - and the "progressive" mountain area of WNC isn't really worth what i'd have to give up to move back there.