Distressed

As I made my exercise walk Thursday, I decided to toss out some summer sausage that I’d bought, not eaten, and forgot in the back of my refrigerator. It had dried out somewhat, but hadn’t grown mold or spoiled. My neighbor’s chickens will eat almost anything. I’ve fed them vegetable scraps and leftover and dry pizza slices, so I planned to share the sausage with them. Calling, “Chook, chook, chookie,” they came running on their spindly legs and began to devour the meat. I usually spread the food over several areas to limit the fighting for the tidbits and to offer some to the two areas where they congregate. One hen must have hatched a chick, not a newly hatched chick, because a small feathered bird burst from beneath the copper colored hen to eat some of the proffered sausage. It was a new addition to the flock and made me smile.

As I walked, I was presented with an ever-changing scene. The last time I walked this path; there were only a few blossoms among the budding leaves, but now the dogwood trees had spread their cross shaped flowers. The legend of the dogwood is that its wood was used to crucify Jesus and God changed it from a large tree to one that could never again be used for a cross and that the blossoms came to look like a cross with a dull red center and that also tipped the blooms and looked like dried blood. The tradition is unlikely true, but still emphasizes the story of Christ’s crucifixion and the dogwood blooms close to the Easter holiday.

The daffodils are wilting, but the fragrant lilacs are spreading their sweet smell as the tiny lavender blossoms part, making small mounds of color among the newly opened green leaves. The wind allowed me to catch the wayward aroma before snatching it away, shifting and swirling. It was necessary for me to watch my steps, dodging puddles of rain water. I managed to get my entire walk in by picking a weather window free from rain.

Now the distressing part; the rain has my joints aching, even the knee that was injected. I also have a headache with a runny nose. The beauty around me has my springtime allergies working overtime. I saw on the weather channel that there is a night where the temperature is to drop below freezing and the blossoms of the fruit trees, the lilacs, and the dogwood may be impacted.