Time for iced tea

Yesterday the temperature climbed up to 80! Sam and I walked to the post office, then to the antique store. We saw these glasses and thought they'd be great for iced tea. We bought them and carefully carried them home, then I made a pitcher of sweet tea for the children and a pitcher of unsweetened tea with fresh mint for me.

Warm spring days are finally here!

Blooming

The pink perfection camellias are looking... perfect.



The darker camellias are about past their peak, although the bees are still enjoying them.



The crabapple is blooming.



And the cherry tree is just beginning to bud.

Spring is for planting...

On the way back from a great day at the Birmingham Museum of Art, I stopped at Home Depot to get some special light bulbs for the house. I had to walk past tables and tables of plants (some on sale!) to get the lights. In a weak moment, I bought hostas, rosemary, mint, basil, and lavender. Then after I loaded the plants into the trunk of the car, I returned the cart to the store... and had another weak moment, in which I bought lots of begonias and phlox.

Now to plant!

A view from the front porch

Red azaleas are very cheerful on a gloomy day.

Despite my allergies, I love spring

Camellias on the ground.




Camellias on the bush:




Azaleas beginning to bloom:



Home:

I Meant to Do my Work Today

This is just as true for 48-year-old mothers as it is for 7-year-old sons.



I Meant to Do My Work Today

I meant to do my work today---
But a brown bird sang in the apple-tree,
And a butterfly flitted across the field,
And all the leaves were calling me.

And the wind went sighing over the land,
Tossing the grasses to and fro,
And a rainbow held out its shining hand---
So what could I do but laugh and go?

~Richard Le Gallienne



It's from Sam's current favorite book of poems:

Spring bouquet

Marley brought me a bouquet of daffodils and spring snowflakes she picked in the field behind our house.

It's spring

David took his schoolwork outside to do, and Abbey tagged along.

And the cherry tree is almost in full flower.

Cherry tree blossoms

Our cherry tree is just starting to bloom.