Dear Readers,

Spring is now officially a week old though you’d be hard pressed to tell from the temperature fluctuations we’ve had this past week-up to the forties and fifties(Fahrenheit) during the day and down into the twenties at night!

From where I sit to write, if I squint, I can just make out the azaleas and the Japanese maple in our front yard that are just beginning to bud, though it will be a bit longer before the walnut tree in the back shows any sign of life.  I’ve taken time this week to observe our yard and a few planters that weathered the winter where the little shoots of greenery are pushing through, heralding the imminent arrival of spring flowers.  As the temperatures creep up, I will need to clear the last of the dead leaves out of my flower beds so the new life will be able to spread and take hold.

It’s time to prepare for the robin that each year comes calling by pecking on our front window all hours of the day and night, and sometimes even nesting in the wreath I place on the front door.  A couple of years ago, we purchased a “scare-owl” just to discourage the persistent fowl from leaving droppings all over the sides of my husband’s car, where he (the robin) apparently frequently perches to talk to the birds he sees in the side mirrors.  A pity our birdie doesn’t just choose to visit the backyard instead, where I have a nice feeder set up next to the deck!

I need to move the larger planters to a new spot this year, one that’s less shady, so the neighbor’s pine tree doesn’t drown them in needles, and get some new chairs for our screened porch, and scrub the cushions for the deck furniture, and …There is so much to be done, but the joy that comes with the new season, and the warmth of the sun and the prospect of new life encourages me to keep going, knowing that the effort will be worthwhile when we can enjoy sitting outside to eat the dinner my husband cooks on the grill.

As I write this, I’ve already begun to plan out the menu for our Easter dinner, which we will share with family, even if we have to take our meal on the road to see some of them this year!  Easter is a time when we tend to indulge a bit, so the chocolates I’ve already purchased are carefully hidden to ensure they last until the actual event.

The warming temperatures and the promise of good weather, after a very wet and cold winter, fill me with joy, and I look forward to spending more time outside, taking walks, working in the garden, and just enjoying nature.  I hope you all get the chance to do the same.  Happy Spring!

Amy