A New Season

What a difference a week makes...this time last week, we were covered with gorgeous snow. Today, however, is the first unofficial day of spring no matter what the calendar may say. Here is the first of the daffodils to bloom. Tulips and hyacinths are pushing up leaves. The roses are breaking bud (and desperately need me to finish pruning them.)

Today is also the day pitchers and catchers report for spring training. The 2010 Major League Baseball season has begun. WhooHoo!

That's the true harbinger of spring, not crocuses or swallows returning to Capistrano, but the sound of a bat on a ball. ~Bill Veeck, 1976

It's a time of new beginnings, of waking up old dreams. Shake off those winters doldrums and create something wonderful today.

A Garden Nursery

This little flower bucket hangs by the front door. I change the silk flowers seasonally. The other day, I noticed someone else had taken possession of it.


Can you find the three babies snuggled in there?

These are house finches. Mom is rather drab, but dad has a colorful red neck. They get mighty nervous when we head out to the front porch. It is a special blessing to have babies on the place.

Sorry I've dropped off the planet for the last week or so. We moved Nathan's graduation up a few weeks to the third weekend in May. Once we made that decision, we had to get in high gear to get senior portraits created (boy, am I out of practice!) get invitations done, addressed and mailed. All while maintaining our standard crazy baseball, work, and church schedule. Being the vain gardener gal that I am, I also felt like I *had* to get some plants and seeds in the ground so they'd look good for the shindig after the ceremony. Had, I tell ya, had to.

Thanks to those who've checked up on me. I appreciate your caring!

Fickle Spring

An old legend says the reason the weather this time of year is so volatile is that old man Winter wages a last battle or two with the young maiden of Spring. Winter may be old, but he is sneaky and catches Spring unaware. Spring herself is a youth in the midst of the hormonal challenges of growing up.

No wonder the weather is less than predictable.

These are my tender tomato plants tucked in for a cold night. While the winds raged at 30 mph and the temps dropped to the mid thirties, hopefully, the tomatoes slept snug and warm under their shelters.


Since I'd already made the mental change to warmth and actually pulled shorts and sandals out of the closet, I'm less than pleased.

However, I am thankful there's no snow on my green grass, too. And that I have a warm, cheerful quilt to snuggle under.

Keep yourself warm and working for the Spring Theme Challenge. The deadline is April 9th. Thanks for all those who already sent comments and photos!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Bloom

First Monarch of the Season.
I figure he blew in on all the wind. Here he is refueling on my new heliotrope blooms.

Bearded Iris


Snowy white Indian Hawthorne (Clara, I think.) and cherry red dianthus


Bridal bush


The neighbor's wisteria crawling on the fence between our houses. I wish you could enjoy the scent along with me.


Tomato transplants are in


Thanks for all your kind comments about the spring poetry piece. It was fun to come inside and dump that on the blog. And thanks a bunch for all your enthusiasm for the Spring Theme challenge. I can't wait to see what you create!

Welcome Spring

In the dark, cool morning, I step.

In just a moment of time, the earth will turn, the sun will slip across the equator in it's journey back to us and the season will just as easily slip from winter to spring. A mathematical equation. A moment in time. Predictable. Explainable. Incredible.

In the dark, cool morning, there are no stars.

High, wispy clouds float across a cresent moon. Too many lights from neighborhoods around us shine on the clouds hiding the glittering community of stars overhead.

In the dark, cool morning, I stand, a cup of something warm in my hands, breathing the rich steam.

Never again in the history of time will this moment happen just this way again. If I live 100 years, I will only see spring 100 times.

Please God, let me notice the details.

Let me not get so busy that I forget to see, to hear, to taste, to enjoy the changes. In the wide wheel of time, let me remember to focus on the beauty and precision that is creation. This place, this moment.

In the dark, cool night, I stand, welcoming back the sun,

although darkness still reigns.

The fountain in the goldfish pond splashes. Nearby, a mockingbird sings for his mate, liquid notes into the soft early morning. My toes in the hastily slipped on sandals are chilled.

Wake up, earth.

It's spring.

The sun returns bringing with it light, warmth, and the potential for growth. What will I do with this moment, this time, this spring?

In the dark, cool night, I stand, dawn just over the horizon.

Savoring.

Welcome spring.

A Spring Challenge

Spring makes me antsy to plant, start new projects and learn new things. Grow, change, do. In short, to CREATE. Maybe it does the same for you, too. I got to thinking it was time for a challenge.

Here's my challenge...create something that says spring to you. It could be a quilt block, a poem, a collage, a photo, or a planter filled with spring color. Maybe you'll whip out a paint brush to dash something wonderful on canvas or maybe you'll pick up a pen and create a fabulously fantastic short story. Do whatever floats your boat. Just keep spring as the theme.

Then...send a copy of your writing or a photograph of your creation to:
debsmuse AT ONE scom DOT net
(replace all caps words with symbols and squish the whole thing together.)

There will be a couple of prize packages for the two most favored by my trusty team of judges, nothing terribly fancy, but fun, nevertheless. Best of all, you'll have the pleasure of bragging about winning a contest on my blog! Feel free to invite other blogging buddies to enter as well.

We'll have a quick deadline...April 9th...so you've got three weeks. Now...shake off those winter blahs and get creating!

O The Green!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Today is the last average freeze date for our area...and, wow, we are having an early spring....it seems a full two weeks earlier than normal, but I'll take it.

Here's a little green to help you celebrate St. Pat's properly.













When I was a girl, I remember my Mom saying not to plant the veggie garden until the mesquite trees had broken bud and started to leaf out. I don't have mesquite here in my neighborhood, so I've always used crepe myrtles as my indicator, along with weather reports and common sense. Right now, two different varieties are leafing out. I've the itch to plant, plant, plant.

Spring Training

I'm a total fan girl about two things. The TV show Stargate SG1 and Texas Rangers baseball.

Stargate feeds the adventurous sci-fi gene in my soul. Loyalty, honor, and teamwork mixed with aliens, action, and humor with a teeny touch of romance are a killer combo. The first eight seasons of Stargate were a wonderful weekly escape from my life on this planet. I often wished Jack, Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c were real people so I could meet them. Unfortunately for all of us, they are fictional only. Since Stargate is no longer in production, I'm able to focus all of my attention on my Texas Rangers who are real, live, and currently working in Arizona.

It came to our attention that I haven't been anywhere that could be called a vacation in the past couple of years. Reasons aplenty for that, but we decided it had gone on long enough. The Pilot Guy and I flew out to Arizona last week for a spring training/sunshine break. Bouganvillas, lantana, and orange trees were in full bloom with a warm, sunny sky overhead. The rental agency gave us a sporty (for this mini-van mama) bright red Chevy Cobalt with a sun roof to zip around in. We drove around the city of Surprise with the top open and the windows down.

The Texas Rangers' organization is one of the few who open portions of their training facilities up for fans to mix and mingle with the players. Every morning from 10am until about noon, workouts, batting practice, pitching, and fielding happen just feet away from fans. There are players you read about in the news and some you've never heard of.

Herds of minor leaguers and future prospects stride up the walks, their cleats clicking on concrete. Mock games and batting challenges flow. Push ups for some infraction are done with laughter and good natured ribbing. When moving from one field to another, most of the guys don't mind taking a moment to sign a baseball or have their photos snapped with you. For a fan, this is a wonderful experience!

Michael Young and Andruw Jones


Ron Washington giving Jarrod Saltalamacchia tips on bunting.


I was pretty intimidated the first day. I couldn't ask anyone for an autograph. It was just a bit overwhelming to be there. Then The Pilot Guy and I met The Cookie Lady, a well known Texas Ranger fan, her husband, and other friends. They made us feel like we'd known them forever. The Cookie Lady is kind of a mom figure to many of these guys...they all stop to give her a hug and take a moment to visit. These guys are, for the most part, the same age as my own sons. Some of them are little bit older than that, but still young with young families they miss.

By the next day, I was able to get over myself and ask for a couple of autographs and photos. Very fun. If I ever get to go back, I'm taking a bucketful of baseballs to be signed. And, no, I'll never sell them on Ebay. My kids will have to fight over them when I'm gone.

Me and Marlon Byrd...I loved how his face lit up when I asked if I could have a photo with him.


With Jarrod Saltalamacchia....see that ball in his hand. It has his siggy on it and it's mine.


With Brandon McCarthy...he is one long, tall fella. Hopefully with a strong healthy arm this year.


With Kevin Millwood...rumored to be the Opening Day starting pitcher. Nice guy.


Do you know what mega-bucks star athletes do after a batting practice session? They clean up after themselves, picking up all the balls and returning them to the buckets whether in the cages or in the outfield. Did my mama's heart proud. We loved watching them all clown around during batting practice and while shagging flies in the outfield.




Unknown coach and Josh Hamilton


There are games every day in fine spring training facilities all over the metro Phoenix area. We saw the Rangers play the Seattle Mariners including Ken Griffey, Jr. and against the L.A. Dodgers complete with Manny Ramirez.

To say I didn't want to come home to the turmoil going on in our little church and in The Baseball Guy's team, challenges of dealing with a newly wrecked car, and gray skies is an understatement. I wanted to play in fantasy land a little bit longer.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Spring blooms

These and more are blooming in my yard this week.

Wisteria

Bridal bush


Tulips and dianthus. By next week, the tulips will be done.


Happy Spring!

Wordless Wednesday~Almost Spring

When the sun no longer touches the bed in the afternoons, it is almost spring. Rascal is taking advantage of every sliver left.

Wordless Wednesday~Signs of Spring

All photos captured within the last twenty four hours.













Yes, already.


Baseball, a sure sign of spring. That's my baby pitching a fine game while his mama and daddy froze in the bleachers.

Despite the signs of spring, winter is still here. The weatherman predicts cold and possible ice for the weekend. But isn't it nice to know that spring is coming?