In the Spring

 I love this quote by Margaret Atwood  “In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”
Yes. That is my daily goal. I'm trying not to let little things like cooking, cleaning, errands and a sore back get in my way too much.

 I don't ever recall feeling quite like I do this Spring. And since it's hard to make myself come in, I had to bring some of it in with me. It's my consolation prize. I used to have such a hard time letting myself cut flowers to bring in. My goal is to plant so many that I won't even notice some missing.

This girl has been my constant companion, always patiently waiting for me to throw her ball. I've given up on this patch of ground cover as it is her favorite bed. It's a worthy trade since she looks so sweet laying in it. This may be my favorite picture of all time.

This flowering crab apple tree was in peak bloom last week. What an amazing sight to see! Now we have a constant snow of white flower petals that are everywhere, including on top of the new layer of mulch we just put down. Also on doggy noses.

Saturday morning we took a break from yard work to roam the Village. Emma was happy to get to kick off her shoes and wade into the river that runs behind us.  Sigh. I love the Village. I bet I've said that 50 times this week. I love the people, the trees, the birds that sing a constant song, borrowing green onions for my salad from my neighbor working his garden, the shopkeepers, the smells and the peace and happiness that it has brought me every day for the last three years.

 Yesterday I used our rain barrel for the first time after I transplanted some lambs ear. It was way more exciting than it should have been. Where before there was emptiness, now there are free lambs ear that I watered with free water. I got that same giddy feeling that I get when I leave the library with a tote full of books that nobody has the sense to charge me for. That feeling motivated me to divide and transplant all afternoon.

In other ridiculously happy news, this Crape Myrtle that I bought last Mother's Day survived an Indiana winter. This is a very big deal for this southern transplant that desperately misses them.  It is a Hopi Crape Myrtle for those of you in a colder zone (I'm a 5) who are dreaming of growing them. I planted it in a location where it was sheltered from wind and mulched the H E double hockey sticks out of it last fall. Fingers crossed that blooms are in my future this summer. Don't worry, I will give you an in depth update this summer. Yay you!

And one more glance because their beauty is so fleeting. I hope wherever you are, there is beauty blooming around you.