Spring has "sprunk" !!!

Out of 52 weeks in the year, I really only enjoy 42. Those 10 weeks of the year that are affectionately known as WINTER is just not my cup of tea. I don’t harbor any ill will towards the season; I’ve just never been cut out for it.

I recall as a child, when we lived in Southern California, my parents used to take us up to Mount Palomar – not to see the observatory, mind you – simply to experience the “wonders” of snow. And every time we went up there, I remember getting a raging case of diarrhea! And of course, there were no public restrooms along the way nor porta-potties or rest stops…so I was forced into humiliation by finding a nearby tree off the side of the road and wishing that God would simply put me out of my misery!

It’s funny how things that happen to us as children affect us so as adults. To this day, I can’t eat brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes and yams or sauerkraut – the smell of them gives me dry heaves. And although I can barely stand the smell of cigarette and cigar smoke, I absolutely LOVE pipe smoke! Something about my grandfather’s pipe and the wonderful aroma that wafted through their home when we visited them brings back fond memories. Sad that no one seems to use a pipe any longer.

Regarding winter, though – I’m starting to feel the itch, and not in a good way. The snow is great for about 2 weeks and then it gets old, it gets stale and dirty. It messes up the finish on my car, compacts my grass on the lawn and causes the temperature inversion in the valleys so that the air becomes so hazy and polluted that my asthma starts getting aggravated.

Chatting with one of my MySpace friends last night got me totally in the mood for planting my garden again. It’s great to meet fellow gardening enthusiasts and sharing stories and pictures really helps me get through the long, winter doldrums. I feel like I’m in the starting blocks waiting for the gun to go off, and then it never does. I have some wonderful ideas on what I want to do this year in the yard, but usually can’t do a thing until May.

A few weeks ago, I purchased an unusual hydrangea. It’s beautiful, no doubt, but the nursery I bought it from couldn’t identify its variety. I believe it is Hydrangea macrophylla normalis [Lacecap] but I may be totally off track there. I post it here for your enjoyment, and if anyone out there knows the actual species, please share!