Twenty-plus years in the magazine business severely hampered my ability to live in the moment. You work on the Christmas issue in July, write about spring in the dead of winter—you're always ahead of yourself. So in this, my first year as a work-at-home freelancer, I was committed to embracing each season. I relished fall, looked forward to cold weather, and envisioned myself truly celebrating winter for the first time. But then right before we wrapped the last present, my seed catalogs started landing in the mailbox. And Mama's genes kicked in. The minute she took her tree down and I threw my Christmas tablecloth in the washing machine, we were on the phone: "Have you got your Burpee catalog yet?" This year, Dave and I have a totally different front yard, in terms of sun—the handiwork of a tornado which took out most of the shade trees in neighboring yards. So I'm thinking sunflowers and lanatana intead of hydrangeas and hostas. Mostly, I'm just thinking yellow. It's usually the first messenger of warmer weather in my neighborhood, the first sign that spring is almost here and summertime is just around the corner. Don't get me wrong—I still have the Yule Log DVD ready for the "Play" button and the makings of some killer hot chocolate in the kitchen cabinet. But I can't help myself. I've got visions of yellow dancing in my head.
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There's already some forsythia blooming in R'ville. I hate when it gets frosted.
Sic 'em Bears tonight!
Posted by: Anne | December 29, 2011 at 06:23 AM
yellow jessamine is Spring but winter jasmine, a yellow beauty is in bloom in B'ham now-jaf
Posted by: john Floyd | December 29, 2011 at 10:40 AM
Hey, John! Well, if you're reading, I'd bette be a lot more careful about my seasonality:) Happy New Year!
Posted by: valerieluesse | December 29, 2011 at 11:31 AM
Woo-hoo! I'll have to practice that bear claw thing . . . it has been a while:)
Posted by: valerieluesse | December 29, 2011 at 11:32 AM
That is a great picture. It makes me want Spring to hurry in. I love Spring. (Didn't know Juniors "dead" tree could bloom like that. LOL
Posted by: Jenny Rowe | December 30, 2011 at 05:44 AM
Yes, the dead cedar trees are lovely in bloom! We need a new project for the girls, don't we??
Posted by: valerieluesse | December 30, 2011 at 05:53 AM