Desperately Seeking Spring

Every day I go out my back door, down the walkway to my studio.

It is still winter around these parts, even though severe cold appears to be behind us.  In Colorado we KNOW that we could still get 3 feet of snow! .. all the way into April.

Still, in my mind I have been planting flowers now. This flower bed that looks so bare, will be full of plants in around 12 weeks!  The grass will be green even before that!  I am so excited!  I love Spring!  I love when the birds get back from their vacation down south!  The woodpecker is already pounding on our chimney and I just smile!  Its all signs of Spring!   Soon I will be working in my studio with my door and windows open.  I am READY!!!

The Colorado First Snowfall

Yesterday my husband and I drove into the mountains to hike with some old college friends. With plummeting temperatures and wind, the fall colors in Colorado don’t hang around very long. I am told that the day before we went on our hike, they were fantastic.  Alas, there is beauty in everything if you look for it, even on the cold gray days like this one.  We saw just a few brave aspen trees with tiny bits of color.

Don’t you think these trees look like they have been dusted with powdered sugar?

This is where we turned off the highway. This road looks like something out of a story book.  It’s the road to “somewhere!”  In fact, it is part of someone’s every day life.  There were a lot of mountain homes on both sides of the road.  My thoughts always go to what is inside of each home and what life must be like living in the mountains.

The snow is always deeper off the main road.  There weren’t many cars on this cold weekend.  I think everyone must have been tucked away in their homes drinking cocoa!

I LOVED this fun  “FORK in the road”  … and yes, we took a wrong turn anyway!   Not to worry, wrong turns happen a lot.  Its all a part of the adventure!

Our friends have a lovely home and the crackling wood stove was calling us inside!!   After a short visit we headed out to the trail head. Thankful for warm boots and just the right amount of layers, we wandered through the trees for a couple of hours.  Our friend’s dog, Oscar, ran through the snow with ease! After our hike we drove to the Sundance Cafe for some yummy red chili!  The day was wonderful! Getting “Outta Dodge” is always a good idea!

A Lesson To Be Learned

Two things I learned on my walk today.

#1. If you travel just a little slower in life, you see more.

#2. If you travel too slow, you get run over.  (the next snail I saw was smashed).

So, is there a middle ground?   Travel slow and keep your eyes open?  Ditch the snail’s pace and hope for the best?   What did I learn today?  Hmmm… maybe nothing… but the snail was sure cool to look at.

Gar…Done!

Garden weeded √,  Zinnia Seeds planted √, Veggie Seeds planted √,  Herbs planted √,   Flowers planted √,  Talked to neighbor over the fence √,   Hornet traps set √,  Mulch spread √,  Flower planters planted √,  Watered everything √,  DONE!!    Now the wait… hoping it all LIVES!  ha!

The “Great Garden Planting” happens every year around Mother’s Day.  It is a lot of work, but when it’s done it’s great to kick back with a glass of iced tea in hand.

It’s time to get back to work for the Licensing Show in June.  There are baby albums and greeting cards to finish designing, another book idea to finish up and a new line to introduce to the world!

“Lae Dee Bugg” debuts in July!

Planting!!

Oooh…. today I bought some Spanish Lavender for my garden. Even though I only have a weeee bit of time in the day to enjoy the garden each day, I am happy to dig around and imagine the best garden yet!

Rocky Mountain High

I simply love Colorado, with its mountains and the W I D E open spaces. There is something about the vast blue sky that gives me a boost. I find that the breaks I take in my day are just as important as working hard in the studio. When I return to my studio I see things differently. My mind has rested and my body is more relaxed.  Yep, I am HIGH on life!!  Even my little cartoons are glad I left and have come back with a good attitude and the ideas begin to flow!

SEEDS!

It’s that time of year again.  A time to dream about the garden!  Many people begin cleaning their homes but my mind travels to the garden. I am not a master gardener, but I love digging and planting and waiting to see what comes up!  This year I am planting with my niece in mind. She is getting married in August and I love the idea of snipping off blooms for her center pieces!

I picked up some seeds at the nursery today and  will place an order at Burpee for some fancy zinnias!

HOORAY for SPRING!!!!  Rocks in my shoes, dirt in my hair, hahaha!  FUN in the sun!

…Okay, so we are expecting snow tomorrow and Monday… but I am already growing flowers in my dreams.