Bestest Friend and I are doing a blog project. Each day we will write a blog post on a pre-determined theme chosen by a random noun generator. The theme for the eleventh day of the month is "Stranger."
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It's that time of year when every day seems to bring new changes to the neighborhood. Trees flower, flowers bloom, and it's like nature has decided to visit the makeup counter. I challenge myself in each morning walk to find something new, something exciting. I always point these things out to Hannah the Dog, who remains unimpressed with anything that isn't a treat for her nose.
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| Tulips & daffodils, quince, cherry blossoms, and crab apple |
I don't know why this sudden transformation seems so abrupt to me this year. Maybe it's the way April went on and on with it's cold raininess. Maybe it's that I am just so ready for nice weather that any sign it's going to be a reality feels strange, like that feeling you get after a big project or big event is finished. You worked so hard or waited for something so long that it all just seems crazy when it's done.
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| Lilacs, Asian bleeding hearts, and trillium (maybe? I'm pretty sure on the trillium) |
But here we are. Spring has finally sprung, the neighborhood has its new look, and I'm excited for more days when I can freely go outside without adding extra layers.
What's changed in your neighborhood recently?
All of our neighbors have used their weekends to do yard work, and we. . . have not. But! Today, my yard will be the new thing because I am planting marigolds everywhere.
ReplyDeleteLook at you! Getting yardwork done!
DeleteMy neighbors have mowed their lawn three times already. We have yet to mow. LOL.
I love walking the same route in my neighborhood so that I can appreciate the small changes. Trees blossom and leaf out, people put their porch furniture out and add lighting, hanging plants, and decorative cushions and signs. Some people go overboard with yard art. A couple of people got new dogs, yay! A few houses have gone up for sale. There's always something different to notice.
ReplyDeleteYes! There's always something to notice and I always bring home these small morsels of news to my husband and he is unimpressed. Maybe I'll start a Neighborhood Gossip Roundup feature on my blog just so I can talk to SOMEONE about these goings ons.
DeleteAgree, it seemed abrupt this year! Probably the crappy April. It felt extra abrupt to me bc we were gone for 4 nights and I think the warm weather over the weekend while we were in Texas boosted the leaves/plants etc a bunch too! I am SO happy to finally see all the flowering trees and the leaves!!!! Makes everything so much prettier.
ReplyDeleteI can absolutely feel my SAD lifting and Every Chore doesn't feel like it takes all of my mental energy. Spring has sprung! Trees are green! I am happy again!
DeleteLook at all those gorgeous flowers! Things are starting to come out now - although we are behind you - but there are a few tulips and crocuses popping up now.
ReplyDeleteYes! Honestly, I think the tulips have only been out for a week and a half or two weeks, so I think things are going to be lush for you very soon!
DeleteI've loved every sign of spring and summer that we've gotten. Way more beautiful than the fall leaves and snow.
ReplyDeleteI love fall leaves. I love a fresh snow. I love the flowers and green trees. I just HATE early spring with its grey days and mud everywhere. So yay! I don't have to deal with that for another ten months.
DeleteOh spring in New Jersey can be... something. First, it is tremendously beautiful in terms of a variety of colors: pink, yellow, reddish, lime green, dark green, violet, white, etc, etc. Even sticks seem to be flowering. Second, the pollen can be thick so folks with allergies are usually suffering. I sat outside yesterday and had to go in- pollen was building up in my throat, I could feel it. Lovely neighborhood you live in :)
ReplyDeleteOh, the pollen is out of control! Our veterinarian is convinced that's why our cat got sick recently. Ha. There's no free lunch when it comes to pretty flowers, that's for sure.
DeleteI think you guys are a bit further along than us - I haven't seen any bleeding hearts yet. But the trees are flowering and tulips have bloomed. I notice spring way more than I did before I had kids as I am always looking for something to point out to the boys on walks. It is a beautiful time of year and was more abrupt this year since winter was so very endless!
ReplyDeleteYes, you guys had snow WAY later than we did, so it makes sense that you'll be a bit behind. No worries, though. It will be there for you SOON.
DeleteAside from some cherry blossoms and daffodils/tulips, we don't have much greenery out where we live, but I know it's coming soon. I'm really itching for leaves to get back on the trees; that is my favourite transformation. We live close to lots of forest and it looks so sad in the dreary days of spring, all naked without their leaves and then, seemingly overnight, GREEN! Everywhere! And I love it...
ReplyDeleteSandals! I didn't even think about it this morning when I was walking the dog - I just wore sandals. Yay! It'll be there soon for you.
DeleteYES! I love this. You have such a wide variety of flowering plants in your area! We have the flowers, but the trees seem to be almost solely cherry or pear. (The magnolias have already come and gone.) There is a nice bank of forsythia near my house, which is lovely. But my favorite thing is the lilacs. I love walking along, basking in the sunshine, and then all of a sudden I enter this aromosphere of lilac. So wonderful!
ReplyDeleteSo, I have a love/hate with the lilacs. I am dreadfully allergic and they make me sneeze like crazy, but they are so pretty. But, boy do I love the wide variety of plant life in my neighborhood!
DeleteSo beautiful! I love to see the flowers come back.
ReplyDeleteIt's the payoff for making it through a long winter.
DeleteI love the colorful variety that you are getting to enjoy. I love your Makeup Counter analogy; so clever!!
ReplyDeleteNature wants to look her best for the warmer weather, too!
DeleteWe live next to a university and it's always a milestone when they change out their landscaping (my daughter picks out the new flowers in a flash!). Besides the pollen on my car, I've been seeing so many different flowers popping up in yards on my walks; my bulbs have come and gone, so folks must have been doing some planting (which I hope to do this weekend, too)!
ReplyDeleteYay! I'm happy I'm not the only one noticing all the changes in the plant life around me.
DeleteYour pictures are like SO pretty! Love them! Camera phone or something fancier?
ReplyDeleteIt's all my phone because our camera is being weird about focusing. I am not sure when we'll get our camera fixed, so you get camera photos for now!
DeleteThe change has seemed very quick here as well. Maybe it always is and I am just noting it more.
ReplyDeleteYes, maybe you're right and I just haven't paid attention in the past.
DeleteI can just picture you pointing out the tulips to Hannah, ha ha... she probably doesn't care, but there must be so many new and exciting scents for her now!
ReplyDeleteWe're getting into our rainy season now, so everything will be very lush and green... and overgrown, in our yard. We're going to have to get out and do some serious weeding.
Yes, there are so many new smells for Hannah and walking her is an exercise in patience as she stops to smell something every two feet!
DeleteI heard you say something similar, and I completely agree...it's our reward for making it through the winter. This is my favorite time of year.
ReplyDeleteI guess it's making in through winter and early spring, which is rainy, cold, and muddy. LOL. Now we can fully celebrate.
DeleteBeautiful! My grandparents had bleeding hearts in their backyard... what a sweet reminder! :) We had a pretty cool/rainy April as well and I just went to the rosegarden the other day and it's sprung into full bloom! So lovely!
ReplyDeleteWow! We're pretty far from roses, but I will definitely try to get to a rose garden when they start blooming here.
DeleteSo beautiful. Yay for you finally getting some warmer weather. I've noticed the trees have started getting colour here in the last week or so.
ReplyDeleteI can't quite wrap my head around trees getting color this time of year! I mean, fall is great, but it's all backwards to me (and mine schedule is backward to you!).
DeleteI imagine the spring transformation is so much more exciting for you guys, especially after such a long, cold winter. I'm glad you are finally seeing some greenery! And tulips! Tulips are my favorite flower but I don't think any grow in Florida, sadly. :( My favorite springtime transformation is when the crepe myrtle trees bloom. They're coming back and it makes me so happy!
ReplyDeleteI didn't even know what a crepe myrtle was! They look a lot like dogwood!
DeleteIsn't it weird how quickly it came on this year? It was like I looked outside and poof! Spring! Granted, we did put up with what, 10 false springs? So I kind of feel like we were due. ;)
ReplyDelete