Hunting for Spring

March often teases us with spring… gives us a couple of beautiful warm 50 degree days and then laughingly throws snow at us the next day.  This past week was beautiful with sun and several days of 15 degrees higher than average temperatures.  Pictures of crocuses and snowdrops in my friend’s gardens showed up on FB while my yard, which is a bit closer to the lake or just a lot farther north than my friend’s homes, had not been that blessed yet.  This can make me envious and disgruntled if I don’t remember to look for the blessings in the waiting.

So for my picture blog this month I will share my outdoor adventure yesterday with my best friend and a camera in hand.  Anything can be an adventure if you see with a heart of wonder.

FINALLY!!  I have crocuses in my front circle bed!

T and I have taken advantage of the warm enough that you don’t have to wear mittens weather to go Frisbee golfing at the park near our house on his lunch break several times this past week.  While neither of us is great at the game (he is better than I), we do enjoy being out in the sunshine and the long walk.

The wind-up….

Throwing through the trees

T made this shot at hole 8.  NICE!

T took the camera away from me for a while because I was taking too many pictures of him. I have decided this is my favorite Frisbee for no other reason than I like the color blue. 

I have been avoiding getting my picture taken this winter because I am not happy with my weight.  Granted, I do have four layers on, one being a big bulky sweatshirt under the green fleece, but I do not feel healthy and strong right now.  That is not good no matter what weight I am at. Therefore, I think more walks are definitely on the agenda for me.  T does not like taking boring walks but we have found a great compromise in Frisbee golf.  It is a walk, often hiking through woods (when you aren’t that great at throwing a Frisbee in the desired direction you end up in the woods off the path a lot) with a bit of competiveness thrown in.  Perfect.

T says I have great form and thinks my spinning like a top after I throw is hilarious.
Ahem, we will not talk about the accuracy of my throws.
This is a game that T is definitely better at than me.

Lovely day, nice walk, not much spring in evidence yet at Winstrom Park Frisbee golf course.

Progress!  The water isn’t frozen anymore!  This is part of the Black River, Lake Macatawa water ways around our township.  I do not know the name of this creek.  Google did not help.

My house… yes that is a snow pile in the front.

Messy garden bed scheduled for rehabilitation later this spring...
however very little signs of green.

The largest daffodil I found in my yard so far…
it is on a south facing slope and is an early variety.
In full disclosure it is only about 4 inches tall.

The very brown and dreary back yard…  

HOPE!!  This is one of the 5 beds of bulbs I planted last fall.  I see GREEN!

My kale over wintered in bed 8 and my scarlet poppy is showing signs of life.

Bulbs: Hyacinth, crocus, daffodils and tulips are showing

A bit of extra sunshine

So it seems my garden is a bit slow compared to my friends.  I will just have to be joyful over my beautiful yellow crocuses that are blooming outside.  Inside, I have taken down all the winter decorations and replaced them with spring.  Last year, I admitted that a late season snow fall was probably my fault because I still had my snowflakes up and a garden flag proclaiming “Let it snow!” still displayed.  This year I will not be the offender.  I asked T what he thought of my decorating and he said “It looks cheery”.  Then he added, “You know it is supposed to snow again next week right?”  Sigh… well, it won’t be my fault!

I keep my seasons separated in labeled tubs.  Everything gets picked up and packed away neatly this way.  It is also a small attempt at keeping limits on my… ah… collecting.
There is no hoarding happening here… move along now.

New bookcase display.  For lack of a mantle, this is my seasonal display spot.

Close up of the big lantern

My corner table display.  The philodendron is from a cutting from my mom’s plant which was given to her in an arrangement upon the death of my littlest brother twenty seven years ago.

My white orchid in its new spot, silver snowflake replaced by a silver butterfly.

Regardless of impending snowstorms and waiting impatiently for flowers,
I am blessed to call this place home.