Monday, March 15, 2010

When the World is Puddle-Wonderful ...

(Name that poem)

Signs that Spring Has Arrived:

1. My children play outside for hours. It helps that the neighbor has a trampoline and an open-gate policy. .

2. The Professor does his semi-annual rant about Daylight Savings Time. Sometimes he actually writes to our Congressperson about it. Sometimes he just threatens to. It's an important family tradition, I guess.

3. Trees that looked barren a week ago have burst into blossom. Particularly the Bradford Pears. Beauty and pollen allergies walk hand in hand.

4. I begin working in my flower garden again, pondering spiritual parallels and making mental apologies to our home's former owner, who had the time and know-how to keep the landscaping in tiptop condition. (When we bought the house, he made us a TWO HOUR VIDEO about how to take care of the house and grounds. I'm still waiting for the Professor to make the popcorn for that one.)

5. I think about spring cleaning. Then I go outside and read a book.

6. I feel a deep sense of gratitude that we longer reside in my state of origin, where March usually comes in like a lion ... and goes out like one too. Believe me, when you live in New England, by the time March rolls around you are JUST SO READY for winter to be over. The cold is old. The snow is old. The short short days are old. The slush is old. The hacking cough is old. But wait! There is still MARCH to live through! It's like a cruel joke, somewhat akin to our infernal Septembers.

7. My toenails have been painted, flip-flop ready, and are exactly the color you might expect when a four year old insists on choosing the new nail polish. Out of respect for my readers, I'll spare you a photo. Just picture ten little piggies chewing pink bubblegum.

8. The mourning doves have returned to serenade us through our still-cool mornings.

9. Warm-weather clothes emerge from their boxes, like old friends that have, after a few months' welcome absence, become new again.

8 comments:

PDB said...

http://wbztv.com/national/northeast.storm.damage.2.1562660.html

~cjoy said...

Oh My. I love your policies on spring cleaning - and you're welcome in my house anytime now. I read that much, too.

If your husband wants to write an extra letter on my behalf, or start a petition (that I'll gladly sign) I want the time change thing fixed, too. Wikipedia has a fun map that shows who does, doesn't and used to follow the daylight savings....

Our home was amazingly landscaped once upon a time, too...and something gorgeous blooms every month of the year, but alas, we fail to do anything but enjoy it.

But I am not certain how EVERYONE EVERYWHERE has their pretty trees in bloom....except Georgia? Is that even possible???? My favorite tree is just barely showing tiny buds, full of promise but not delivering.

Tamara said...

I was thinking of your artistic 4-year old the other day when I came across a set of drawing books by Ed Emberley. There's a really neat one for drawing little characters from thumbprints and fingerprints as well as number of doodle-style how-tos. (The bubble gum pink reminded me :)

Anonymous said...

I've been admiring the trees with the white blossoms you've pictured. They're gorgeous.

We've lost some of our landscaping to the freezing temperatures and need a total overhaul. My daughter and I have spent part of the last two days digging up collosal weeds.

The previous owner left you a two hour video, huh? Now that's dedication.

Stephanie said...

Emma and I spent some time working in the yard the other day and it was wonderful. Maybe you can give me some tips on gardening. I am only good at pulling weeds and raking leaves.

Anonymous said...

in just - e.e. cummings

JoAnn said...

Re the time change: I still don't know if we are on Daylight Savings or Standard Time.... and I have been through this twice-yearly change 62 times. And why don't the lines that define the zones go straight down the map? I still don't know about that one, either. some things are just destined to remain mysteries....
MIL

Tim said...

A recent change to daylight saving makes Daylight Saving Time (DST) last 2 months longer than Standard Time (ST)., so that now "standard" is no longer the norm since we spend more time "saving daylight." Just pick one and go with it all the time, I say. Yeesh!