Love, empathy, tolerance--also puppies, flowers, and laundry

Monday, March 26, 2012

When It's Sunny and Warm

This is exactly how I feel.  EX-ACT-LY!  I can't help myself--Spring keeps teasing us with warm days and new flowers appearing daily.  

While I like many of them, I think I'm channeling the mum at :41. Which flower are you?

Not, mind you, that we have anything more than spring bulbs in the yard.  But a girl can dream.  And sometimes I think that the daffodils or crocus unwind themselves about as quickly as those in the video when we get a warm day.

Of course, rain and/or snow is in the forecast as the week begins.  But Friday and Saturday were freakin' awesome, so that's okay.

*    *    *    *    *

Browsing through the Community Education classes sure can tell you a lot about your current interests as I realized when I thought about the things that caught my eye in the recent brochure.

Watercolor Painting: Pansies, Petunias and Poppies
Coloring Between the Lines with Colored Pencils
Paint Your Dog's Portrait
Pottery on the Wheel
 Crochet 2
 Tibetan Buddhism
Zumba
Belly Dancing
Spinning
Tai Chi
Reformer Pilates
Anusara Yoga
Make an Herbal First Aid Kit
Foraging for Edible and Medicinal Plants
Practical French
Train to Hike Half Dome
Beginning Fly Fishing


If I read that interest list, I'd guess that person is artistic, physical and likes the outdoors.  I don't think this is the year that I'll be taking any classes, but I've put one of them on my  List for Future Consideration.  Any guesses what it might be?  It might surprise you, but then maybe not, considering that I consistently have an inspirational quote that I'm aspiring to.  


My spiritual side would love to learn more about Buddhism. I have enormous respect for the Dalai Lama and would be interested in knowing more about a religion that could produce such an amazing man.


And if I was teaching a Community Ed class, I'd be showing you how to make various breads (no bread machines would be involved) and we'd be trying out embroidery stitches while our bread was rising!



Happily,
 

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Spring Mantle

Oh, am I ever ready for Spring! Colorful flowers, warmer temps and baby animals--what could be more joyous?!
 



It's springtime on our mantel if not outside where my flowers are blooming through the snowdrifts.  Well, maybe snowdrift is too strong a word, it's more like rapidly melting snowpuffs.

Back to the mantel--

Tulips?
  
Check! 

Lambs? 

 
 
Check!

Yellows and pinks and aquas?  
 
Check! 

 It's a lovely greeting each time we walk into our family room. 
 
And at nightfall, we'll toss a few logs in and light a cozy fire, plug in the white mini-lights and loll on the sofa to watch the latest delivery from Netflix.

Drop by anytime.  'Cause you's welcome.

 
(Bad sheep puns are just part of being in love with lambie pies.  We even stitch them out for posterity.  My bad.)

Come see other spring mantels at The Lettered Cottage--so much eye candy!
The Lettered Cottage

Happy Springtime,
 

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

I Have Spring Fever

I raked up yet more leaves two weeks ago and realized that a couple days of warm weather were rapidly waking up my bulbs.  This is my garden two weeks ago.


and this is what it looked like just a week later after some wonderfully warm days.

 I had a nice little post that Blogger ate just as I finally had it nicely edited. There are few things I enjoy more than losing an entire post because I hit the wrong button.

Then of course we had a typical northern Nevada spring with a little snow (actually the biggest snowstorm we've had) thrown in.  Bulbs in these parts get used to erratic weather.  I wish I could say that the fruit trees do too--I'm grateful that the peach in the photo has just barely begun to think about budding.  Although we've had years with three snowfalls on blossoms and ended with a bumper crop!

You might think the snow cooled my jets. Ah, but you know me well! All it did was to make me happy for some much-needed precipitation added to our yearly total so that I won't feel too bad watering this summer.

But even if the calendar doesn't quite say Spring yet, these crocus by Lilypad Pond are definitely making me do the happy dance.

And if the hyacinths are starting to show color then gardening season can't be too far behind.

My gardener's heart is thrilled and I can hardly wait to have dirty fingernails once again!


 

Yippee for gardens, gardeners and the Tuesday Garden Party!

Happily,