Gifts of Spring or not all things I touch break.

Or, it's been one of those weeks.

Yesterday I broke a bowl in the shop.
I knew as well as I know my name, and yours, that I was going to break something.
My hand flipped a bowl and it went flying up, then it went crashing down, it hit hard, breaking into several pieces.
When it happened, I thought, thank goodness that is over and let's move on with the day.

Why did I think I was going to break something?
It has been one of those weeks.
Mark went out to mow a small patch of grass on Wednesday and the mower worked for 15 minutes and stopped.
No amount of pleading, begging, stomping of feet or crying could get it to work again.
It just refuses.
Like a stubborn mule.
It will have to go to the shop.

The day before that the tractor had run all day just fine.
Right before Mark went to put it to bed it would not start.
( starting to see the pattern here.....?)

The next day it did start and is now put away.
But, the mower is a no go.

Today, yep, there is more woe.
Today, I broke the oven.
Maybe it gave it up all on its on, but since I was using it, I think it is me.
(Really, I have cookies to bake.) 
I had bread in there with a pan of water and I think that I let the water vent towards the control panel.
By the time I saw it the thing was going wacky and then quit.
I was able to get the oven back on enough to bake the bread and as soon as it was done all lights went out.
I broke the oven.
I have two batches of cookies measured out and no way to bake them.
There might be no cookies for the kiln opening.... this can not be.
I know, sad....

Now on to better things and gifts of spring.
You all know I have had my feet on this property since I was a young girl, spending many summers here with the brothers and sisters.
In 1976 I moved here and I thought I had seen everything there is to see here.
But, today I drove past where the old house use to be and noticed a stand of white flowers that I have never seen before.
I stopped and walked out to look at them.
Below is what I found.
Just look at these beautiful daffodils.
I found two patches of them, our plan is to move some up to the house as soon as we can.

bottle by Mark, decorated by Charlotte Wilt (Fenburg)  of Humble Mill Pottery.

I hope you can see them.
They also have the most amazing smell, somewhere between honeysuckle and gardenia.

Then there is the sassafras tree. 

.

 And what did I learn about native redbuds?

Uses
Ethnobotanic: The Alabama, Cherokee, Delaware, Kiowa, and Oklahoma were among the Native American tribes that used eastern redbud for various purposes.
 The bark was made into a tea to treat whooping cough. Taking cold infusions of the roots and inner bark treated fevers and congestion.
 An infusion of the bark was used to treat vomiting and fever.
 During winters, the plants were used for firewood.
Because it is one of the first plants to flower in the spring, the blossoming branches were brought into the homes to “drive winter out.” Children were “fond of eating the blossoms” of eastern redbud.

Wildlife/Livestock: Many birds, including bobwhite quails, eat the seeds. White-tailed deer are among the animals that browse the foliage. Honeybees visit the blossoms.
Livestock will browse on Eastern redbud.
I did not know!
I just thought they were pretty, turns out they are pretty and useful.
I like that in a tree.

The plan is to load the kiln tomorrow.
Look into fixing the oven and the mower.
Beg one of my friends for the use of their oven.
And try not to break anything...

I'll let you know how that works out.
M