My son Alex and I had just returned from a trip to a local farmer’s market where we’d loaded up on all kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables. As I was unloading the bags I grabbed the block of cheese we’d also picked up.

“We have to try this right now.” I said as I moved the bags aside and opened the silverware drawer to get a knife.

“You don’t want to finish putting everything away first?” He placed the tomatoes on the butcher block next to the plate with several avocados on it.

“Nope.” I ripped off a section of paper towel and placed it on the counter. “I’ve been thinking about what this was going to taste like the whole way home!” I looked at the package. “Bacon and jalapeño in a white Australian cheddar cheese!” I pointed to the crocodile on the package. “I like the message on the back that says ‘careful it bites’!”

“I wonder if Australian cheese will taste different then ours?” Alex went to get the crackers out of the cabinet.

“We’ll find out in a minute.” I cut open the package and held it up to my nose. “You can sure smell the bacon!” I passed over over for Alex to take a sniff.

He nodded his head. “Sure can.”

I placed it on the paper towel and began to cut a few small pieces, while Alex put some crackers next to them. Scooping up a cracker and placing the cheese on it I held it up.

“Okay, here goes…” I took a bite and waited for the heat to hit me.

Alex did the same.

While we were chewing Alex picked up the package and began reading the ingredients. “It’s got red and green jalapeños along with crushed red peppers.”

I nodded as I swallowed my bite and looked over at Alex. “I’ve got to say I was expecting it to be hotter.”

Alex nodded. “I thought so too, but it’s still really good.”

“Oh absolutely!” I began putting the rest of the groceries away. “You know what would be fun?”

Alex was getting a plastic bag out of the drawer to put the cheese away. “What?”

“What if every time we went to the farmer’s market we picked out a new cheese to try?”

Alex laughed as he opened the refrigerator to was put the new cheese away. He then began pulling out bags of shredded cheese and blocks of cheddar and Swiss, along with the packages of deli cheese I’d purchased a few days before, piling them all on the counter. “Are you sure we need more cheese?”

“Hey!” I went over to the cheese pile he’d created and began explaining. “I’m making chicken parmesan tomorrow.” I said as I tossed the bag of shredded mozzarella back in the bin. “And this is for tacos tonight!” I tossed the bags of shredded Mexican mix next to it. “These are for sandwiches all week!” I tossed the Swiss and provolone back in. “And these…” I held the blocks of cheddar and Havarti with dill then shrugged my shoulders. “Okay fine.” I tossed them back in the refrigerator. “I might possibly have a cheese problem.”

“I’ll say.” Alex patted me on the shoulder as he walked by. “You might want to see if they have a 12 step program for that.”

“Not funny!” I called as I watched him walk down the hall to his room and waited until he closed his door. That’s when I tip-toed back to the refrigerator and quietly opened the door. Pulling out the newest block of cheese, I placed it on the counter and slowly opened the silverware drawer, looking over my shoulder to see if anyone heard me. “I do not have a problem.” I whispered under my breath as I cut another slice from the block.

“Come on, little guys! Keep eating!” I was on my back porch, kneeling down next to a swamp milkweed plant, one of two plants that a client had given to my husband Steven.

“This is going to be so great!” I cried as I tipped a leaf back to show Steven where a tiny monarch caterpillar was busy munching away on the leaf.

I looked up at Steven and had to laugh. “I never thought I’d be so happy seeing something eating one of my plants!”

Steven turned another leaf over to point out an egg that was glued to the back of the leaf. “My client told me there was a bunch of eggs on this plant.”

“And caterpillars now, too!”

I leaned back on my heels and gently turned the pot. “Oh, there’s another one!” I pointed to one that was inching up the stem. “He’s headed for a new leaf.” I started to laugh again. “He’s a chubby little one!”

I got up and went over to the rocking chair. “That was so nice of your client to give those to us.” I sat down. “What got you talking about monarch’s with her?”

Steven sat down in the Adirondack chair. “After I was done taking notes for the estimate she showed me her garden and all of her milkweed plants.” He reached around and adjusted the pillow behind his head. “I told her that when you and Alex are on your walks you’re always coming home telling me how many monarchs you see.” He pointed to the milkweed plants. “Next thing I know I have two plants in my van!”

“Well, I love them!” I could see the biggest caterpillar from my rocking chair. “Just think in a few weeks we’ll have monarch butterflies all over the back yard!”

Steven laughed. “You do realize that they’re not going to stay in our yard.” he looked over at me. “Right?”

I leaned back in my chair. “We’ll see about that.” I picked up my phone and began to type.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“I’m looking up plants that monarchs like.” I waved my hand around. “If we load our deck with what they like, they’re going to stay.” I said in a matter of fact way.

Our son Alex came out on the porch. “What are you guys up to?”

Steven looked over at him. “Your Mom is trying to figure out a way to force the butterflies to stay in our yard.”

“Not force!” I cried. “Entice.” I looked over at Alex and held up my phone. “I’m looking for ways to entice them to stay.”

Alex shook his head and he went over to the glider to sit down. “You know you two have the weirdest conversations.”

“Hey! What’s wrong with wanting the yard filled with monarchs?”

Alex looked over at Steven. “You know she’s going to get obsessed with this, right?”

“Hey! Who says I’m going to get obsessed?” I got up to go check on the caterpillars again. I could see the chubby one had found a new leaf. “That’s right little one. You keep munching away.”
Steven looked over at Alex and began nodding his head. “Yup. Completely obsessed.”

It was almost dusk and I could hear the rumblings of thunder off in the distance. “Oh boy! A thunderstorm!”

I looked over at my husband Steven and our son Alex. “Do you guys want to go sit out on the porch and wait for it to come in?” I was looking out the kitchen door and could already see the droplets of rain hitting the wooden deck, quickly bouncing before settling into the small puddles that had begun to form. “It sounds like it’s going to be a good one.”

Alex shrugged his shoulders. “Sure, why not.”

“I’ll come out for a while.” Steven said as he opened the door for us.

I went over to my rocking chair and pulled it away from the edge of the porch so I didn’t get wet before I settled in and began to slowly rock. A quick flash of light had the trees in our back yard looking like it was daylight. “Oh, this is going to be a good one!”

Less then a second later there was a loud crack before the low rumbling of thunder, the kind that you could feel in your chest, rumbled on.

I looked over at Steven. “Yup, I was right! That was a good one!” By now the rain was starting to get heavier.

Alex leaned back in his chair. “I wanted to take a shower.”

I looked over at him. “We’re in the middle of a thunderstorm you can’t take a shower.”

“I know.”

Steven looked over at me. “I’ve taken showers in thunderstorms.”

I nodded my head sadly. “Well, I guess you’re just lucky you didn’t get hit.”

I looked over at Alex. “When I was growing up you weren’t supposed to use your land line phones either.”

“Seriously?” Alex started to laugh.

“I’m serious.” I held up my cell phone. “It’s not a problem using these but if you were on the house line and lighting struck the wires it could travel through the line and…” I snapped my finger. “you’re hit.”

Steven looked over at me. “So how many people do you know that got struck by lighting that way?”

I stopped to think about it for a moment. “I guess none.”

Steven laughed. “See!”

“See what?” Now I was confused. “I don’t know anyone that got struck that way because everyone knew not to take shower or use the phone during a thunderstorm!” I cried.

“Hey, guys.” Alex tried to get us to take our voices down a notch. “I’m not going to take a shower until the storm stops, so stop worrying.”

I looked over at Alex. “I’m glad you’re taking after me and being safe.” I pointed my thumb over to Steven. “And I’m glad you’re not being ridiculous like your Dad.”

“Hey!” Steven said but didn’t finish because a huge crack of thunder roared overhead shaking the whole house.

I jumped up from my rocking chair. “Well, I’m out of here!”

We were all headed for the back door as the wind picked up and the rain was coming in sideways getting us all wet. I looked over at Steven. “Bet you’re glad you weren’t in the shower for that one?”

Steven was right behind me. “Who needs a shower now? I’m drenched!”

“Is there water in the bird bath?” my husband Steven called to me from the kitchen.

I walked down the hall and saw Steven standing by the sink looking out the window to our back yard.

“I just filled it this morning!” I cried. I looked over Steven’s shoulder and saw a robin and a starling standing on the edge of the bird bath staring at one another.

“Well, I’m pretty sure they’re waiting for it to get filled again.”

I sighed as I went to put on my sandals. “It’s those bigger birds that keep splashing all the water out when they get in.” I called from our bedroom.

When I came back into the kitchen Steven was leaning against the counter holding a handful of cherry tomatoes. “It’s a heat wave.” He popped one of the tomatoes into his mouth. “Don’t you think the bigger birds deserve a little place to cool off too?”

“I’m not saying they don’t deserve it.” I opened the back door and had to stop for a moment, trying to adjust to the wave of heat that was hitting me. “I’m just asking that they don’t splash around as much.”

I went out to the porch, picked up the watering can and went to the outside faucet to fill it up.

Once it was filled I carried it over to the bird bath where the robin and starling were still sitting. As I got closer they both flew to nearby branches. “I’ll have it filled in a minute you guys.” I said to them as I put the watering can down and was ready to tip out the little bit of dirty water that was left at the bottom.

“Oh, come on!” I cried as I looked at the robin and starling. “Which one of you pooped in the bird bath?”

I walked back to the house and went into the kitchen. Our son Alex was there making a cup of coffee.

“What’s wrong?” Steven asked.

I grabbed some paper towels. “Someone pooped in the bird bath!”

“It wasn’t me.” Steven said as he looked at Alex.

Alex laughed. “Nope. Not me either.”

“Very funny.” I held up the paper towels. “But it’s still disgusting!” I stomped back outside mumbling under my breath. “Try to do something nice for you guys and this is what I get.” I tipped the water out and wiped the inside clean. Then I filled it back up with nice cool, clean water. “You’re welcome.” I said to each bird before heading back in the house with the dirty paper towels.

“Well, that was gross.” I tossed the paper towels in the trash and washed my hands.

Alex shrugged his shoulders. “Birds poop.”

“I know that, but do they have to do it in the bird bath?” I grabbed the towel hanging from the oven door handle and began drying my hands.

“So where would you like them to go?”

I thought about it for a second then looked at Alex and smiled. “Would it sound selfish of me if I said I’d rather they go in the neighbors yard and just come to our yard to eat seeds and play in the water?”

Alex laughed. “I wouldn’t say selfish. I think the word you’re looking for is impossible.”

I looked out the kitchen window and saw that the robin was splashing away in the bird bath while the starling was still on the branch waiting his turn.

“You’re lucky you guys are so cute.” I said. I turned the facet on and began to wash my hands for a second time. “But you can still be pretty gross.”

My son Alex and I were walking around one of our favorite lakes when I noticed a turtle sunning itself on top of a tree stump that was sticking out of the water. I stopped and pointed it out. “How long do you think it took him to get to the top of that?” I turned to ask Alex. The stump was almost a foot out of the water.

Alex shrugged his shoulders. “I have no idea, but I’m thinking it probably took him a long time.”

“When he’s done sunning himself do you think he’s going to climb back down, or maybe push off with his back legs and do a perfect swan dive back into the lake?”

Alex laughed. “I’m betting he just throws himself off the stump and lands more like a cannonball then a swan dive.”

We waited a few minutes to see which move he was going to make.

I sighed when nothing happened. “I guess once you’ve climb that high you’re planning on staying for a while.”

Alex nodded as we continued our walk that was roughly a mile around the lake.

“I wonder why he’s so far away from Turtle Cove?” There was a section of the lake where so many turtles hung out that I’d given it that name.

Alex shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe he wanted some peace and quiet.”

I nodded my head. “I could see that.” I pointed to a blue heron that was fishing around the reeds that were growing in the shallows by the shore. “Have you noticed that for such a small lake there’s a lot going on around here?” We walked past a man who was waiting until we passed before he cast out his fishing line.

“Remember last fall when there was a flock of cormorants that visited?” Alex asked.

“Oh yeah! They were only here for a few weeks but there must have been a half a dozen of them!” We passed an older couple who were sitting on a bench holding hands as they looked at several red-winged black birds hopping around in the grass, pecking at the ground, looking for bugs.

I pointed to the hawk that was circling above the lake. “Looks like he’s ready to do some fishing too.”

We stepped off the path to let a Mom, who was pushing a stroller, pass by.

“We’re coming up on Turtle Cove.” I said as we came around a bend in the lake. Again we weren’t disappointed as I quickly counted ten with just their heads popping out of the water. I grabbed Alex’s arm to stop him. “Look.” I whispered as I pointed to the ones closest to us. But as soon as I did several of the turtles went underwater. We could see them swimming a few feet before they’d pop their heads back out for some air.

“I wonder why they like this part of the lake so much?”

“I don’t know.” Alex pointed to one swimming by. “He must be a over a foot long!”

I looked across the lake to where we’d seen the little turtle on the tree stump. “I wonder if our little guy is done with his sunning and is headed back to the cove?”

Alex looked over to where we’d parked the car. “I’m assuming we’re going around again to check.”

I smiled as I patted him on the arm and began walking again. “I have to say, you know me all too well.”

“That’s it!” I called as I walked in the front door and dropped my bags by the chair.

“Last day of school.” Alex said as he came around the corner from the kitchen. “Congratulations!”

“Thanks!” I flopped down on the couch and put my feet up on the coffee table. “What a weird year it’s been.” I shook my head. “All the pandemic protocols…” I looked over at Alex “It was all so crazy.”

“I know. You’ve been stressing about it all year.” Alex sat down across from me. “But it’s all over with now and you have the whole summer ahead of you, right?”

I had to smile. “You’re right. I should stop thinking about the school year and start thinking about all the things I want to do this summer.”

“What are some of the things you want to do?”

“Well,” I looked around the room and pointed to the basket by his chair that held my sewing things. “I’d like to finish that counted cross stitch piece I started a few years ago.”

Alex looked down at the basket. “You’ve got most of it done already.”

I nodded. “I’m sure I could finish it before school starts up again.”

“That’s a good one. What else?”

I had to think about it for a minute. “I guess I’d like to paint that back room.”

Alex nodded. “Maybe you should start writing this stuff down.”

“That’s a good idea.” I got up and grabbed a pad and pen from one of my bags. “I have a stack of books I’ve wanted to get to.” I sat back down and began to write.

“What else?”

“Well…” I was tapping the pen against the pad. “Oh! I want to get the car in the shop to fix that ding I got when someone hit it with a cart at the grocery store.” I began writing it down. “I should probably get some doctors appointments in.”

“See?” Alex reached over and picked up his water glass from the coffee table. “Look at all the things you can accomplish this summer.” He took a sip from his glass then put it back down.

“Oh! I also want to clean out my office desk.” I shook my head as I was writing it down. “That’s been a mess for way too long.” I stopped writing and looked up at Alex. “Well, actually my whole office could use a cleaning out.”

I held up my list for Alex to see.

“There you go!” Alex said. “Now you won’t be complaining at the end of the summer that you didn’t accomplish anything.”

I smiled as I got up. “I’m going to put this on the refrigerator so I’ll see it every morning.”

Alex got up and followed me into the kitchen. I grabbed a magnet and stuck it to the front of the fridge, then stood back to admire my list.

Alex patted me on the shoulder. “You can start first thing tomorrow!”

I looked over at him, hardly hiding my annoyance. “I just finished a Covid school year! I can’t get the weekend off?”

Alex held up his hand. “You’re right. Sorry about that.”

I sighed. “Thank you.” I went over to the drawer where we kept the take-out menus. Pulling out several of them I held them up. “What sounds good for dinner tonight?” I went over to get my phone. “Because cooking doesn’t start until Monday either.”

Alex looked surprised.

“Okay, fine.” I went to the table and sat down looking through the menus. “Maybe cooking starts tomorrow but right now what am I ordering?”

It was first thing in the morning and I was leaning against the kitchen counter holding a steaming cup of tea, looking out our glass door, when my son Alex came into the room.

“What are you looking at?” he asked.

I pointed at our railing as I took a sip from my cup. “That poor thing right there.” I said showing him the robin who was busy making a nest on the railing of our back porch. It was less then a foot away from our kitchen door.

Alex shook his head. “That’s not a very good spot.”

“Before I went to bed last night I noticed some sticks and moss on the railing but I thought it had just blown up there from the storm.” I had to shake my head too. “What made her think that would be a safe spot?”

We watched as she flew off. I put my cup down on the counter before I opened the back door to take a closer peek at the nests progress.

Standing next to it I could see it already had the rounded form of a nest. I was reaching over to touch it when Alex pulled my arm down to stop me.

“What are you doing?” Alex asked.

“I’m seeing if it’s secured to the railing or if a gust of wind could knock it off.” I pushed the nest ever so slightly and could see it wasn’t attached to anything.

“Nope.” I shook my head. “That’s going to go flying in the next storm.” I looked over the edge of the railing and could see the robin standing by a tree holding a small stick in her beak.

“Let’s go back inside.”

Once inside I picked up my cup of tea and took another sip. We watched as she climbed in her nest, settling down with a quick wiggle of her body and placed the stick next to her. She then used her beak to move the sticks and moss around her body forming more of the nest.

“Now what are we going to do?” I sighed.

“What do you mean?” Alex looked confused. “It can’t stay there. We’re out on the porch a dozen times a day!”

“I know.” I watched as she pushed the nest closer to her body. “But she’s so determined.” I looked over at Alex. “It would only be for a few weeks.”

“Are you kidding me!” Alex shook his head. “You don’t want us using the porch for weeks?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “It’s for the babies.”

“Didn’t you just say the next storm would blow it off the railing?”

Now I was feeling torn. “Yeah.” I said reluctantly.

“So you mean to tell me you’re okay with her building a nest, laying her eggs and then a wind storm blowing it away?”

“Well, when you say it like that…”

That’s when my husband Steven came into the kitchen holding up his mug. “Coming in for my second cup of coffee.”

Alex looked over at him. “Mom wants us to give up the porch until the robins eggs are hatched.” Alex was pointing out the window.

Steven looked over at the nest. “That’s a pretty stupid place to build a nest.”

I sighed. “I didn’t say she was bright. But she’s very hard working.”

We watched as she flew from the nest to get more material.

Steven opened the back door, picked up the nest and went over by the fire pit to lay it down on the edge.

“You’re going to burn it?” I cried.

Steven was headed back to the kitchen. “Sure. It’ll make great kindling for our next fire.”

“Well, now I just feel awful.” I said as I watched him walk over to the sink to wash his hands.

“Why?” Steven grabbed a paper towel and was drying off his hands when I looked out the window. The robin had landed on the railing with a twig in her beak hopping back and forth looking for her nest.

I shook my head. “I don’t even know what to say to her.”

Steven grabbed his mug and went over to the coffee maker to refill it. “Tell her the next time she’s out with her realtor she needs to talk about finding a better location.”

Alex started to laugh but stopped when he saw the look on my face. He shrugged his shoulders. “Well, I don’t know about you but I’m going to go sit out on the porch and get some sun.”

I was in the kitchen, ready to start dinner when I turned the water on to wash my hands. “Oh, no!”

Water was leaking from the faucet and spilling all over the counter-top. I quickly shut the water off and checked the long neck of the faucet where I could see an inch long crack.

“The kitchen faucet is broken!” I called to my husband Steven.

Steven came into the kitchen where I was standing in front of the sink pointing to the crack.

He reached over and turned the faucet on and watched as water sprayed from the crack and quickly covered the counter-top. Shutting it off he looked over at me and nodded. “Yup. It’s broken.”

“So how do we fix it?” I leaned against the counter.

“We buy a new faucet, call a plumber and see when they can get here to install it.”

“Okay, so how long do you think that would be?”

Steven shrugged his shoulders. “Could be a few days or weeks, depending on how busy the plumber is.”

“Weeks!” I looked around the kitchen. “How am I suppose to get meals ready without a sink?”

“I could stop by Lowe’s after work tomorrow and get some tape to fix it.”

“Okay, thanks.”

But after dinner, as I looked at all the dirty dishes stacked in the sink needing to be rinsed off before putting them in the dishwasher, I couldn’t wait until tomorrow.

“I’ll be back in a minute!” I called as I reached for my purse and car keys.

Twenty minutes later my son Alex met me at the front door. “Where did you go?”

I held up my bag from Lowe’s. “I’m going to fix the faucet myself!”

Alex looked doubtful. “Didn’t Dad say he’d fix it tomorrow?”

I pointed to the sink filled with dishes. “I didn’t want to wait until tomorrow.” I pulled the Flex Tape out of the bag and placed it on the counter-top before throwing the bag in the trash. Opening the drawer I grabbed a pair of scissors and began cutting open the tape. “I went to the plumbing section and looked around at all my options and this one seemed the best.” Cutting off an inch wide strip I peeled the protective sheet off and began wrapping it around the faucet. “It says it’s waterproof and stops leaks on hoses so I figured it would work on this too.”

I cut another strip and wrapped it around the faucet next to the first one. “Just to be on the safe side.” Double checking to see that it was on tightly I looked over at Alex before slowly turning the water on.

Alex and I watched to see if any water was coming out. “It’s holding.” I said as I turned the water on full force.

I held my breath as I watched the faucet. After a few seconds when it was still holding I turned the water off and looked over at Alex. “I fixed it!”

Alex was nodding his head. “You did.”

I put my hands on my hips and looked around the room. “What else needs fixing around here?”

Alex started to laugh. “You know you fixed it with tape, right?”

“Not right now.” I held up my hand to stop him from continuing. “I’m still enjoying my feeling of accomplishment.”

Steven came into the kitchen. “What have you two been up to?”

I pointed to the faucet. “I fixed the sink!”

Steven reached over and turned the facet on. “Hey, no leaks. Good job!”

I smiled as he turned the water off. “I’m thinking maybe I should get a tool belt.”

“Hey, I’d be glad to get you a tool belt.”

“Really?”

“Sure. But you know when you get a tool belt it comes with a list of projects that need to be done.”

I thought about that for a moment. “You know, on second thought I think I’ll take a pass on the tool belt right now.”

It was late afternoon and my husband Steven and son Alex and I were all enjoying a soft breeze as we sat on our back porch waiting for the sun to set.

“Anyone interested in a fire?” I asked as I looked over at our fire pit that was overflowing with dried out sticks.

For the last couple of months anytime any of us were in the yard and saw a stick laying in the grass we’d toss it in the fire pit.

I looked over at Alex. “Can you go inside and get the lighter and some newspaper?”

Alex got up. “Sure.”

I walked over to the fire pit and began breaking the larger sticks into smaller pieces. As I was working on that Alex came over with the lighter and newspaper.

“Thanks.” I grabbed the newspaper and began balling it up. Reaching down I placed the newspaper balls under the sticks.

“Are you going to stack them in a teepee shape?” Alex asked.

I looked over at him. “I was just going to light the newspaper on fire and see what happens.”

“Oh.” Alex sounded disappointed. “I’m not sure you’ll have enough air flow.”

I waved the lighter at him. “Let’s not get all science-y here.” I bent down clicking the lighter and watched as the newspaper began to burn. “I’m sure this will go up pretty quickly.”

Alex shrugged his shoulders. “We’ll see.”

He sat down in the Adirondack chair next to me and we watched the flames begin to get bigger.

“I did it.” I said as I smiled and sat back enjoying my effort. “You know, this is the first fire I ever started.”

Alex looked over at me with a surprised look on his face. “You’ve never started a fire before?”

“Nope.”

“I can’t believe that.” He didn’t seem convinced.

I looked over at him. “I live with three guys. Do you really think I would ever get a chance to make a fire with you guys around?”

Alex laughed. “I guess not.”

The heat from the fire began to reach us and we moved our chairs back. “You know there’s something very satisfying about making a fire.”

“I know.”Alex watched as I turned around to scan the woods. “You’re looking for more stuff to burn aren’t you?”

I had to laugh. “I am.” I got up and was headed for the woods when I looked over at our birdhouse which had a Black-capped chickadee family in residence. One of the parents was sitting on a limb right outside the house loudly chirping. I could see the smoke going in that direction. “Oh no!”

“What?” Alex asked.

I pointed to the birdhouse. “The babies hatched the other day! I heard them when I was filling the feeders!”

“Okay?”

Another billow of smoke floated in that direction. “The smoke’s going right into their house.”

I sat back down in my chair. “Maybe we shouldn’t add anything more to the fire.” I could see the fire was beginning to die down.

“I guess that satisfying feeling of fire building is over.”

“It is for now.” I got up and walked toward the house. Grabbing the hose I headed back to the fire pit. “I’ll have this out in a second.” I called over to the chickadee.

I was sitting outside trying to enjoy the beautiful day when a brown oak tassel fell out of the tree above me and swirled down to drop on my shoulder. “These things are killing me!” I said to myself as I picked it off of me and tossed it onto our lawn that was already covered in them.

My son Alex came out of the house. I waved him over to the chair next to me. “I’ve already cleaned your chair off!” I called.

Both our chairs had been covered in a coating of green pollen.

As Alex came over I began to itch my eyes. “I swear this pollen season is worse than last year.”

“You’ve been saying that for the past few years.” Alex reminded me.

“That’s because I was never allergic to anything before.” I picked another oak tassel off my chair and began to sniffle. “But these things are everywhere!”

“Seems like there’s a lot more of them this year.” We looked over at two squirrels chasing each other around the birdbath.

“Lucky me.” I snorted.

“When did you notice you were allergic to oak trees?”

“When we moved here.” Another tassel found it’s way onto my lap.

“Really?”

I shrugged my shoulders as I brushed it off. “I don’t remember ever having any problems until the neighbors across the street cut down those two big oaks in their front yard.” I shook my head at the memory and looked over at Alex. “Remember we were out on a walk and when we turned the corner the smell of the freshly cut wood started to close up my throat? Then my eyes began to water.” I shook my head again. “It’s been all down hill from there.”

We live in a heavily wooded neighborhood made up largely of oak trees. This is the time of year you see piles of oak tassels, raked out to the curb, waiting for the town to come by and pick them up.

Another tassel dropped on my head. I held it up to Alex.“I was driving by a group of kids that were throwing clumps of these things at each other.” I tossed the tassel to the ground. “There was even one little boy that had a clump of them on his head, wearing it like a hat.” I shook my head and had to laugh. “My eyes began to itch just watching them.”

Alex started to laugh. “Don’t worry they won’t be falling much longer.”

Just then the wind picked up and dozens of them began to swirl to the ground. “Well, I’m out of here!” I said as I headed to the house “I need to blow my nose and wash the pollen off my hands.”

“Remember just a few short weeks ago you were complaining that spring would never get here?” Alex called to me.

“Remind me to be grateful when this part of spring is over!” I said as I brushed the last few tassels from my shirt and went into the house.