Lilacs

On one of the more warm days, I drove down Alicia’s road and smelled the ultimate in indicators for spring – Lilacs.  I don’t know what it is but until I get a whiff of the spring air heavily laden with lilacs I don’t feel like it is spring.  I love this flower and plant.  I have three in my yard and one is blossoming.  They are young and growing nicely – no thanks to me. 

Our spring has been a bit funky here in Wisconsin.  We’ve had hot like late summer hot and now we are cool with threats of snow / frost.  I think we are going to have an unusual year for weather.  However, spring has now sprung for me with the scent of lilacs lingering even in the cool spring air. 

I’ve been so busy this semester I’ve not had a lot of time to stop and smell the roses (or lilacs) and now that the semester is winding down I’m starting to look forward to my summer.  This summer I have a pile of books to read.  I want to get back to submitting a lot of my writing.  I also want to work on two manuscripts and see if I can get two others actually published.  My summer is filling up even before it has started.

The two girls in Georgia will probably be coming home this summer.  I am trying to figure out when to take off for their visit.  Of course we don’t have solid dates yet but I’m still looking forward to it.  I want to get Stephanie’s afghan done for her and if at the three quilts I’ve had in the works for a while.  After that for sewing I have a pile of material for Vicki.  She has a bunch of material she wants me to make into work clothes for her.  Along these lines I have the next afghan lined up (and waiting in the living room) as well as yarn for a number of gifts.  I also still have three fleece blankets to get done. 

The question becomes how much of this will get done during this summer?  Hopefully all of it but you never know.  I’m looking forward to taking my vacation time and enjoying my down time.  I’m aware it sounds like I won’t be getting down time but it is for me.

Rhododendrons

Every spring our front garden slowly starts to blossom.  I’ve had white daffodils blooming for the last two or three weeks.  This morning I was a bit grumpy because I was up early and had to go back to work.  It isn’t the work – it is the up early part.  I stepped out of my house feeling slightly grumbly and looked at my garden as I try to every morning.  This morning I was greeted by happy bright pink flowers on my rhododendron bush.  It was cheerful and bright and beautiful.  It made me smile.
I went to grab my phone and realized I’d left it inside.  I had to find my house keys and go back for my phone.  Then I snapped a quick shot of my pretty flowers and text my two daughters in Georgia.  The response I got was – look no snow.  Never mind the gorgeous flowers.  They just commented on the no snow. 
To be fair, we’ve had a bit of a gloomy month for April.  We had snow and a lot of rain.  I’m definitely ready for there to be some bright days.  Just because she lives in Georgia and they’ve had beautiful weather for like three months, doesn’t mean she should rain on my parade. 
Well I just ignored her comment and enjoyed the pretty flowers.  They are a pink / purple color that is just a happy color.  It put a smile on my face and started my day right.  Now I’ll have to keep watch on the rest of the garden to see what pops up next. 
In my back yard I have a daffodils and hyacinth up.  The hyacinths are pink and purple.  The daffodils are white.  At some point I’m going to have more tulips.  They are one of my favorite spring flowers.
My bushes in the back yard are sprouting green and red.  I have some dogwood bushes, hydrangea, lilac, and others I can’t remember the names of.  The spirea bushes haven’t bloomed yet and I’m waiting on those.  We have two in the front yard and one in the back yard. 
It will be so nice to sit in the yard again.  It will be great to enjoy the smells and sounds in the yard.  I’m looking forward to the spring and summer.