Spring Thoughts

As I write this, I’m sitting on the couch with a blanket over my legs. My mini-doxie, Sophie, is on my lap under the blanket. She’s not happy unless she’s under a blanket, preferably on my lap, and I’m glad. It’s nice having her warm little body next to mine.

Our lawn is lush and green–prettier than I’ve seen in years. By late July it will have a yellow hue from lack of rain, but right now it’s gorgeous.

We have two bird feeders–Christmas gifts to me from my husband–with house finches and cardinals stopping by often. There are several mourning doves on the ground throughout the day. Grackles and red-winged blackbirds keep joining the party, and so far, they haven’t frightened away the other birds. We had a pair of goldfinches visit last week, too.

A month ago, a flock of Cedar waxwings hung out in the trees and bushes in our yard. What beautiful birds! We also had a few Eastern bluebirds drop in. I see sparrows here and there, too. I’m not sure what kind of sparrows they are, though. Probably house sparrows.

Robins are flooding the neighborhood, and six rabbits chased each other in and out of our fenced-in yard the other day. They were frisky. I’m sure nests of babies will be littering our subdivision for the next few weeks.

One day it will be sunny and 70 degrees (very unusual for this time of year); the next it’s in the low forties with rain/snow mix (typical for this time of year). Some of the trees are budding. Some are still bare. I can’t wait until our crabapple tree blossoms.

I took a walk last week. The playground had police tape around all of the equipment. It made me sad. But then I saw crocuses and daffodils waving proudly, and the lockdown due to the coronavirus didn’t feel so heavy.

In 2019 we didn’t really have a spring. It rained for days and weeks on end. Farmers worried about getting their crops in. Many were unable to plant. And it was cold.

Last April most of my son’s baseball games were rescheduled for May. This year he’s a senior, and it’s his final season of baseball. Most likely, he won’t play a single game due to the pandemic. I’m sad for all the things he’s missing out on as a senior in high school–prom, senior week, baseball, hanging out with his friends, possibly graduation. He won’t get them back.

My daughter is a senior in college, and she’s missing out, too. Campus is closed. Learning resources, like the library and in-person meetings for group projects, aren’t available. The social aspect of college is over for this semester. She won’t get to see many of the friends she’s made over the years to say goodbye. She won’t get back the things she’s missing out on this semester, either.

This wasn’t the way we wanted our kids’ final semesters of their senior years to pan out.

However, we’re all safe and healthy at the moment.

Life will go on.

In the meantime, I’m soaking up the pretty spring moments as they come.

Stay safe! God bless you!

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My new release, The Cowboy’s Secret, is in stores now! It’s book 2 in the Wyoming Sweethearts series.