I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ve never really appreciated the spring season. I’m definitely a summer and autumn kind of girl – I attribute this to growing up in Texas, where every season is summer and the leaves seldom change colors as brilliantly as up North or treat us to a proper autumn until at least early December. I’m not starstruck for fragrant blossoms or pastels and I certainly didn’t spend my days dreaming of a spring wedding cloaked in baby pink and white springtime accents. Its just never been my thing. Possibly because I’ve never desperately craved the relief of a mild, sweet spring after a long, grueling winter of constant ice and snow until now, or perhaps because in Texas spring is uncomfortably cold and moist in the mornings and sweltering my mid-afternoon, leaving you always improperly dressed and set to shed layers at a moment’s notice only so you can haul around sweaters all day long. Either way, I’ve never actually looked forward to spring until this year.
But spring in Ohio is different – a welcome change after a harsh winter. The breeze is steady and cool, the sun shines brightly, the rain active, and the temperatures in the 60s and 70s. Beautiful flowers bloom – seas of daffodils are everywhere, little purple buds and dandelions litter our healthy green grass, and the trees are coated in cream, purple and yellow blossoms that scatter wildly and swirl when the wind blows. While all of this is perfectly lovely, my favorite things so far have been the food, animals, and activities that accompany the season. I think it’s safe to say that I have a newfound appreciation for spring in the midwest.
Often, there are large, tabby-cat sized brown bunnies with soft, floppy ears and white cotton tails that frolic in the grass of the yard that lines our driveway. They scarf dandelions and scurry up the driveway when Ted revs the engine of the car. I will begin my ritual of bribing them with carrots and lettuce asap. Just having them around is cheerful, though I’m sure I’ll be regretting that comment as soon as I plant the seeds for our potted vegetable garden on Friday and our veggies begin mysteriously disappearing…
I’ve also learned to anticipate the joyful activities that come when the snow melts and the sun shines – like our first time shooting hoops to the tune of “Cincinnati” (instead of “Horse”) after work in the run-down basketball court at the base of our driveway where blacktop meets The Secret Garden. Ted pulled out and cleaned up his grill yesterday, a surefire sign that delicious cookouts and cold drinks are in our near future. He also attached the water bottle cage to my bike, Carmela. I can’t wait to take her for a long ride along the Bass Island Trail soon! And today I packed a lunch of plump, sweet blackberries, hearty cinnamon grahams, string cheese, fresh lettuce leaves, and homemade chicken salad full of dried cherries, almonds, red and green grapes, parsley, onion, ginger and lemon – a refreshing break from soups, lean pockets and other hot winter fare. I’m also loving the appearance of fresh rhubarb, peaches, berries, and melons in the produce section. They’ll make a nice addition to the herbs and veggies I’m hoping to pull from our garden this summer.
My books of choice lately have been memoirs, as usual, but this time they’re exceptional travel memoirs from author Mary Morris. I reviewed and recommended her book The River Queen (about her travels on a houseboat down the Mississippi River) on this blog a few weeks ago. She has three other travel memoirs out – Nothing to Declare: Memoirs of a Woman Traveling Alone, Wall to Wall: From Beijing to Berlin by Rail, and Angels and Aliens: A Journey West. I’m only about a quarter of the way through Nothing to Declare, but already it is a fantastic read, just like The River Queen was. Perfect for those thirsty for a great adventure and her writing style is so comfortable. I’m certain I’ll be reserving the other two at the library shortly. For now they satisfy my desire to locate about ten thousand dollars and see the world. For the foodies out there, she also ocassionally includes mouth-watering descriptions of dishes from all over that inspire me to locate similar recipes online or design my own creations. Since we don’t have a spare ten thousand dollars lying about, it’s a suitable substitute for now.
I can’t quite pinpoint exactly why spring in the midwest is so much nicer than in Texas, but I’m definitely finding things to enjoy about it for what seems like the first time in my life, though I’ll always be a summer and autumn girl! I’ll alert you to my first firefly sighting when it happens ;-)
