Life is busy, life is good

  Everything here is busting with green leaves, colorful flowering bushes, bird song and butterflies.  At dusk you can hear the creeking chirps of frogs hidden in ponds and low marshes.  The air is warm and sunsets are vibrant oranges and pinks.
  Spring is in full force and one can't help but celebrate inside. 
 Yesterday, for Elliot's P.E.  we rode our bikes through the adjacent neighborhoods for the first time.  I have been waiting for the day that he became confident enough to ride in areas with occasional traffic.  Previously we were limited to the paved paths on in the city parks, so our experience yesterday was liberating.
And visually beautiful!  The neighborhoods that we rode through are older ranch homes, but so well kept and landscaped we felt like we had just discovered a secret garden.  Azaleas, dogwoods, tulips, pansies and lots of other pretty bushes were scattered all around.  The overhead canopy of trees made it even more inviting. 
Elliot said that he loved North Carolina, and I agreed.

Last night I had a vivid dream that I visited the boreal forests in the northwest.  A wild boar approached me from the edge of the forest, with every intent (I felt) to eat me.  Then, amazingly, I remembered that I was not afraid of wild boars...but black bears.  So a black bear appears, and saves my life by eating the wild boar.
Then some men wearing red flannel shirts carrying chainsaws and shot guns came out to see if I needed any help. 
I have dreamed of bears before, and after my experience in the Shennandoah National Forest I think my Native American ancestors might suggest that the bear is my totem.  So I don't know what to make of that dream.  Perhaps I should look up symbols in dreams online.


In other news I had an afterthought about my claim that Knees and Paws might help to soothe temper tantrums.  I think it might actually work...especially if the adult caregiver were to put on the animal ears in the midst of a child's meltdown.  I suddenly wish I had a preschooler or toddler around to try that out. 

And now I must hurry and begin the day...there's a million things I need to do to get ready for the holiday adventure we are planning, and also I'm meeting my new friend again.  I hope everyone in blogging land has a fantastic day!