15 Minutes

There is a saying in Upstate NY - "if you don't like the weather wait 15 minutes".

It was beautiful yesterday - blue skies and lots of sun. It was still chilly out, but with the sun it was wonderful. Mom and I walked about a mile in the early afternoon and then at 4:30 I decided that I had to have another walk. I have learned that if I have a goal - as in a place to go - I'll walk a lot further. So - I decided to go to Joann's and buy some satin cording for my dominoes. (That is another story!) Well that walk was a 4.5 mile one and it was wonderful. The air was crisp, the sky shockingly blue and the birds were chirping up a storm.

And then...I woke up this morning to snow. Yep - SNOW! but thank goodness it's just a dusting and it's supposed to get warmer throughout this week. I hope so... Oh wait - I just have to wait 15 Minutes!

C'mon Spring! You can do it!

Smoke Tree

Smoke Tree

Dew on the Smoke Tree - looks like crystals

This is a Smoke Tree that is in front of my house. It was planted about 6 years ago, a little 2 ft. high bush. My Mom found it at a WalMart for a few dollars - now it's about 10ft tall and is draw to anyone who walks in our neighborhood and it's a great conversation starter with the little kids. They love that it's so Puffy, and it's soft. You can run your hands over it and it's so silky.

So - plant stuff, watch it grow and invite children to see it and talk about it. Forsythia is another bright happy bush/tree. You know it in the spring as it is one of the earliest bright plants. It's bright yellow in the spring and then turns green in the summer.

Our homes, cities, towns, etc...are what we make them. There are parts of Utica that are really scary and need a lot of help, but there are also so many homes that are well decorated with flowers and bushes and yard art - and they are in our neighborhoods. Walk and enjoy the area...