A taste of spring

Spring came and went, came again and retreated. In our garden blooming daffodils are heralding spring. Their heads, being doused today with a wintery mix are bowed. Actually, on second look some of those yellow coronets are face down in the mud. If they don't spring back up tomorrow I will pick them, rinse them gently and enjoy them in a vase on my kitchen counter. I considered picking them last night knowing the weather was going to change. I have a strong craving for something yellow. My "haunts", as I refer to my antique/junk shop rounds have turned up nothing...well, nothing yellow that is. In the meantime I have a bowl overflowing with lovely lemons but it just isn't satisfying me. I want a huge yellow bowl or yellow placemats, maybe lemony body scrub and a yellow terry robe?

Now I think I know what started all this yellowing! Last week I made lemon sables. They were delicious and fun to make. The fun to make part was rubbing the lemon zest and sugar together. A lemony sugar scrub, yum! Eat it or somehow wear it, a tough decision. I also made this pale, pale yellow honey butter topped with those cheerful yellow pansies. Aside from all that...have you seen the cover of the current Blueprint magazine? Yellow. I am not a yellow girl. I am hook, line and sinker pink, pink and pinker. I think I'll go rescue those daffodils sooner than later before I need to be rescued!

Before I don my slicker and PINK PINK PINK I am true to PINK boots I must tell of two rainy day sightings I have had while perched here at my window. Children in the rain are hilarious. Water means nothing to them. (except at shampoo time) Earlier today two little ones were being walked by their momma down the street. Slickers and pint sized umbrellas for the kids...mom didn't even have a coat much less an umbrella! Yet, she waited, pretty patiently as far as I could tell for the smaller one to use his cute umbrella as a ladle in a giant puddle! He tried desperatly to empty that puddle. Scoop after scoop. His big brother, who looked about four years old was standing smartly under his umbrella. Seeing the futility in all of this scooping he gently took the little brother's hand and pulled him in the direction of home. Mom herded them slowly from behind.

That all brought back a memory of my own daughter at about age two...in blue Paddington boots and a red slicker out for a walk with me. It wasn't raining but it had been. It was a quiet street near our house so she was meandering alone, a bit ahead of me. Coming upon a puddle she jumped and splashed and jumped and splashed again until that puddle was nearly empty. An older neighbor came out and said to me, "You are such a good mother to let her play in that puddle." I thought it was such an odd comment. I had nothing to do BUT watch this child wear herself down (not out!) splashing. Yet today from my window I am admiring the patience of a young mother with a child trying to conquer a puddle. I know she has lunch to make, laundry to fold, stories to read...but best of all she has patience. I guess that make me the older neighbor.

This afternoons sighting was little boy about seven years old. He was literally sloshing and kicking his was through that same puddle...it is about a half of a block long and just deep enough. Well, the foot sloshing wasn't enough for this one, every step or two he would bend down and scoop handfuls of water and throw them! No boots, no gloves, in the pouring rain having lots and lots of fun. His mom is going to wonder just how he got so wet. I take that back, she will probably know. I am headed out now to rescue those daffys and rescue me. Sunshine on a cloudy day.