Just Like Clockwork, Bulbs in Bloom

As if on cue, not long after I posted the photo of the first creamy crocus... the purple ones showed color. On Thursday these all popped open in the warm sun of another upper 60s day. I think my love affair with these plucky little bulbs (I know, they make some of my friends sneeze--I'm sorry) goes back to childhood. Our next door neighbors, the Bakers, owned a florist shop, and they planted a lot of flowers in their yard that I had never seen. Including crocus. When I was 7, I was totally smitten with them and I continue to be to this day.

I had been itching to straighten and sweep the front porch; it was ankle deep in sycamore fluff, discarded leaves and spider webs. After I got it cleaned up, I brought out two lawn chairs and then Norm and I sat in the warmth of the sun and enjoyed a bowl of ice cream. The first ritual of spring. That goes back to childhood, too. The first warm evening (and I defined warm as anything approaching 55 degrees) I would wart my parents until we would all set off for Glencliff Dairy on East Admiral in Tulsa for an ice cream cone. I was so proud when I was old enough to get a double dip instead of a single. My favorite: butterscotch ripple. Although chocolate will do just fine in a pinch.

Out back, we have a daffodil explosion taking place. When we got home from Florida on the 4th, green leaves were about 2-3 inches high, poking through the mulch all along the bed next to the driveway. I think they have grown almost an inch a day since then and by Wednesday, nice fat flower buds were quite visible. In the late afternoon sun, they almost glowed from within. My mother loved daffodils and had to have King Alfreds --the huge yellow long-trumpet kind-- in her front flower bed at the house I grew up in. Later my parents had a corner lot, and the entire back fence was lined with daffodils of various kinds. One year my dad thinned them out and I asked for some of the bulbs. I've grown my "Tulsa daffodils" ever since, and moved some to this house in 2001. These flowers in the picture, though, are the ones that came with the house. They are a spectacular show all along the driveway--if it doesn't freeze late in the season. I fear they are a little early but for the next 8 days at least we are forecast no colder than 38, so I have hope.

In the bird department, some robins are back; the cardinals are singing; a red-winged blackbird seems to like our maple; the goldfinches are starting to molt back to yellow; the wren is singing; and unfortunately, the juncos are still here (I have this superstition that it won't snow after they leave.) The neighborhood cat prowls the yard and unfortunately, she has a heavy look about her that probably means kittens, more mouths to feed. Sigh.

We have closed out a week of appointments including visits to doctor and dentist, a little exercise, a lot of paper sorting in preparation for doing the taxes. Tomorrow we will do some spring cleaning at church, followed by some baking of St. Patrick's Day themed cookies for Sunday coffee hour. I finished reading Zora Neale Thurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God" for our March book club meeting and am starting Greg Mortenson's "Three Cups of Tea" for April. Norm has finished "Tea" and is starting "Their Eyes." We have been watching the "Who do you think you are?" series on NBC and it is making me eager to get back to my 4 great grandmothers story. And it looks like I'm up to 130 friends on FaceBook. For a certifiable introvert, how did that ever happen?

Beware the Ides of March and don't forget...daylight-saving time arriveth!