Signs of Spring: 2012 Edition

Upon my return to the Ocean State, I was delighted to discover that spring had sprung.  Trees have flowers on them and the daffodils are dancing happily.  I also found a bird nesting in my mailbox.  I have no idea what kind it is -- it's a tiny buff-and-brown thing that makes a heckuva racket from the tree across the yard if I stand on my front steps too long.  I've only seen him fly out of the mailbox once, but the nest seems to be well-kept and tidy, so I assume he's living there full time.  Or she.

I don't think the mailman likes the new arrangement much, but he'll get over it.

My friends who live in warmer parts of the country might not understand how I can get so excited by green grass and some early spring flowers, but let me tell you: spring in New England can break your heart.  It can be cold and rainy well into June.  Western Rhode Island woke up to a sprinkling of snow this past Sunday.  Snow!  In April -- and no, this is not a belated April Fool's joke.

Thank goodness I live in an area that tends to be a little more temperate than other parts of the state.  If I'd awakened to snow on Sunday morning, I'd have been cranky indeed. And none of us want that.

Words of Wisdom: Joan Duncan Oliver

Being nice may not guarantee a long life...But it can make the journey richer and more rewarding, whatever its length.

The Meaning of Nice: How Compassion and Civility Can Change Your Life (and The World)

Discovery

Nobody sees a flower, really, it is so small. We haven't time - and to see takes time like to have a friend takes time.
--Georgia O'Keeffe

Did you know clover flowers? I didn't. I guess I've always been too busy, headed here and there and walking right by. Some of the time I was headed someplace fun and happy; looking back, most of the time I wasn't. But wherever I was going seemed very important at the time.

This morning, nothing was more important than running indoors for my camera to take a picture of my discovery, and to tell you about it. Yes, there is laundry to fold and a rug that needs vacuuming, but this morning, I really saw a patch of clover.

It's a good day.

Abundance

Nature has it.

Early Summer Musings

The irises outside my back door are in bloom. Their shades of purple and graceful shapes are so pretty. I know they are old-fashioned and out of style, but I just love how they don't know that and keep coming back year after year anyway. I would no more uproot a bed of irises to be "fashionable" than I would throw away my great-grandmother's teapot.



And I'm pretty sure this little gem was never in style.