We had a gorgeous start to spring. My crocus, jonquils and tulips put on a great showing in varying purples and yellows.

The big flowering crab apple in my front yard was a cloud of fushia, and the enormous lilac (that my grandpa planted) had the largest and most fragrant white clusters I’d seen in a long time. The redbud trees were just starting to show color.

And guess who frittered around and didn’t get a picture of all this beauty?

Pointing fingers at moi, who bragged about her new camera and the ease of taking pictures anytime. Oh, please slap me.

So out of the blue, the cool front turned into a dip back into winter. The flowers might have survived or not suffered so badly if it’d just been one night. But noooo, we had to have a string of below freezing weather.

What’s even sadder is that despite my bitching, all I’m out is the beauty of spring. My plants will survive, and grow and hopefully have a better spring next year.

As I look out my office winter at the withered flowers on the lilac, my thoughts go to those that depend on crops. Across the river, the apple crop for this year is toast. Millions of bucks lost with no way to recoup. I feel so badly for those farmers.

Other produce growers are likewise crushed. It’s sad, and we’ll all pay for this bizarre dip in tempteratures at the market, and when we dine out.

So how is spring in your next of the woods?

I popped in the store the other day to pick up the things I forgot to buy my last trip. Why can’t I remember the grocery list before I leave the house??? *thunking head*

The lines were long because of the time of day and people getting their grub for an Easter feast. So I get stuck back by the aisle with the stuffed animals and Easter candy. Painful place to be in since I’m on a diet. Bleh!

Anyway, two women were loading up on bagged candy, peeps and chocolate bunnies. One said she was glad this was the last of the candy holidays until winter. The other laughed.

I winced.

Yeah, it’s funny in one context and I could commiserate with her. But as I looked at all the candy and toys and baskets, I thought how sad it is that we have taken a religious celebration and turned it into a commercial festival.

Is it just me or does this bother you, too? And just what type of lesson or message are we (meaning us in the candy-crazed-holiday U.S.) sending out there?

I’m guest blogging over at Magical Musings today. Drop by and say hi! 🙂

The spring cons and booksignings are behind me. I finished my proposal for my option book. Yay!!! Now it’s time to produce pages, and that means serious writing.

That also means sticking to a writing schedule, which I’ve had great success with in the past. It’s so liberating once I get into the rhythm of writing x number pages a day every day. But it’s a bear to start.

I dunno why. Sort of like starting a diet. For some reason I focus on all the goodies I’ll be missing instead of the great progress I’ll have made a month from now.

There are books I have to read (contest stuff), and one book I’m dying to read. Steph Tyler’s Coming Undone. As soon as Amazon delivers this book–which should be any day–I’m diving in.

For now, it’s back to the trenches keyboard.

Woohoo, spring is finally here. The jonquils and crocus are up, the weather is warming nicely, and I finally was able to balance an egg on its end last night.

Cool, huh? Does this mean I’ll have a year of good luck?