flip flops and sunglasses weren't even a question
and i drove to work with the sunroof open and music blaring
seems a perfect day to write about my favorite season
spring!
i'm a transplant to tennessee, even though i've been here over 1/3 of my life now. craaaaazy. but there are definitely differences between here and where i grew up when it comes to season changes.
here's 10 things about spring...in my experiences
1. bradford pear trees line every secondary road in my (new) neighborhood. they are stunningly beautiful. unfortunately about 60% of people who live in mid-tn suffer allergies because of them. sneezing abounds.
2. faux spring happens here sometime during mid - late february through mid-march. then it drops to freezing again (maybe even snow!) and everyone gets sick. then the real spring comes, right about now.
3. springing forward may mean that we "lose" an hour of sleep one night, and that we have a spring forward hangover for a week or so afterward. but it also means that there's no more driving home in the dark at 4 pm!
4. lots of events (festivals, craft fairs) begin popping up as natives crave walking around centennial park and the like for hours. it's awesome!
5. flowers in abundance. my birthday flower (jonquils) are the first to peep out, but so many others follow quickly.
6. tv is still good. :) which means i do a lot of evening tv watching with a breeze coming in the screen door and the soft sounds of wind chimes in the background
7. at home, the farmers start moving. around here i'm sure they do too but since i live in the city i miss those tractors and smell of plowed earth. of course, i DON'T miss being stuck behind them for 3 miles on a 2 lane road with no passing possible.
8. i do a lot of tanning while walking this time of year :) finn's parents have moved to a house that's approximately 2 blocks from one of the several entrances to the greenway, so it's perfect for that! plus, i live 10 minutes away from a couple of gorgeous spots to hike. (one i just discovered last week -- so excited!)
9. signs of new life are everywhere, which is such a great reminder of spiritual things. making all things new isn't such an abstract concept when you see it repeated at every season change! but seriously, the baby bunnies, budding trees, and peeping plants are fun :-)
10. as much as i want to be active and OUT this time of year, rest beckons too. and i love that. i try to log a few hours in the hammock each week, i enjoy my God time all the more when i'm surrounded by such beauty, and on a practical note my allergies force me to rest a little more this time of year than others. and i don't think that's an accident ;-)
so what do you notice or love at this time of year?
