Lawn Mowing Barbie

When one is a 13-year old girl with a lawn-mowing job, the execution of your duties presents the possibility for sartiorial splendor. 

Unlike her brothers before her, who quickly wilted in the heat of the day, my Buttercup decided to give the sun a run for its money in the brightness category, all the while, maximizing the potential for a little bit of a tan. 

I tell you, despite the fact that she's now lived more than half her life in Eastern Washington, this young lady is definitely a Southern California girl.

An hour and a half later, she had pink cheeks and her shoulders and arms had definitely been kissed by the sun.  Mission accomplished in style.  Between you and me, I think she got lucky that she didn't end up with a tan line from her knee socks!

Coming Out of Hibernation

Growing up in the Southern California year-round sunshine, it never occurred to me that I would be a hibernator. Moving to a place with a real winter, complete with gray days and freezing temperatures, has taught me that I do, in fact, hibernate.

Winter began early last year...we had real snow on the ground in October. Winter kept a firm grip on the land for six long months. We didn't see crocuses until the end of March and the tulips have just this week begun to bloom. Finally, the snows gave way to rain and freezing temperatures stopped being part of the weather forecast. The grass has really started to grow (and so have the weeds!)

As it held on to the land, so did winter seem to have a firm grip on me. Just like the flowers are stretching and reaching form the sun, I find myself waking from the deep hibernation of a long winter. The sun shone so brightly today...the blue sky so crisp. I felt my blood warming up as I threw open the windows before heading out to work in yard.

Now I sit here a bit sun-kissed, a bit sore from using muscles that took a winter break and keeping my fingers crossed that tomorrow will be another beautiful day...after all, I have flowers to plant!

Isn't it amazing what a little sunshine can do?

Look What We Saw Today!

Sunshine!!!

 After weeks of snowy (read: cloudy) days, Mr. Sun came out today.  It felt glorious and looked beautiful reflecting off the icy snow.

The cat was happy.

The kids were happy.  Even with all the melt off we've had the past few days, the kids have plenty of snow for sledding fun.

A bonus?  The snow plows finally reached our street...no more four-wheel-drive to get to the main road!  Woot!  The sun melted the last of the snow-turned-to-ice off the driveway, too.

The plows follow our lead and dump all the extra snow in the middle of the cul de sac, making an awesome hill for the kids.  Pretty cool, isn't it?

Oh, I love the sunshine, don't you?