Really Kinda Random--Spring Has Sprung Edition

Well, spring has FINALLY sprung here! At least until the snow that's in Colorado and sleet that's in Iowa hits here! Here's how I know it's spring:

We were able to get our bikes out this weekend and go for a nice ride on one of our local trails...one of my favorites.

Our tree burst into flower yesterday. Seriously. This happened over about 2 days. There were no buds. Then there were. Then, they burst open. I love it when this happens. Let's hope for no hard rain or winds for a few days so it lasts a little while.

It was warm enough to sit out on our deck and have a beer last night. Soooooo what I needed! I also got some awesome new porch furniture (we needed it so badly) at Target. Remember that conference I spoke at last week (and I stopped at the Hen House on the way home)? Well, as a thank you for speaking, the group putting the conference on gave me a $50 gift certificate to Target. How nice! I bought two turquoise chairs for the deck. Awesome. (But then, Sweet Pea wanted the little pink one, so I got her that, too.)

Papa Pea was at a conference for the past couple of days in a really swanky hotel. In that hotel, he saw this book, and he got it for Sweet Pea. It's really cool. It has a fabric cover, beautiful drawings, two satin ribbon bookmarks...

Sweet Pea just LOVES the TV show Grimm. (I know. Kinda weird for someone her age.) She dove right into Grimm's Fairy Tales. She sat and read to me, as I sat and drank my beer. Nice!

Sweet Pea has been wanting to do a fairy garden. Over the winter, Michael's had a super sale on some fairy garden supplies. I got a few fairy garden supplies for Sweet Pea, and she set up her garden. Here is her little arrangement. (She's also using some of my old garden ornaments with it.) My little plant, there, barely made it back this spring. We'll see how it does....

Sweet Pea asked if she could go out each day and move the fairies around, so people would think they're real and moving around on their own. So cute.

She worked hard at getting everything just so.....

We got our motorcycles out last weekend, too, and we went for a ride. Papa Pea has befriended some Amish folks. We rode out to their farm to say hello. Lee showed Papa Pea a buggy he's trying to sell. I know Papa Pea wanted it and wished we still had our horses. Papa Pea told Lee, "We call this an Amish buggy. What do you call it?" Lee said, "A buggy." Snort.

They have a very beautiful peacock and a couple of peahens. This was part of the purpose of our visit....Lee had promised some peacock eggs to Sweet Pea. We went out to see if they were laying yet. Nope. Not yet. I'll keep you posted on those. We might have some peacocks at our house in the near future. Can you believe it? I can't.

Since I've had a little down time, I've been out "bumming" a little. I was at Pier One the other day and saw this pillow. Isn't it pretty? It was hard for me to resist it. But I did. I did take photos for inspiration, however.

I also saw this and thought, "How cute! Wouldn't that be a fun thing to store fabric in?" And I loved the color. But $279 was wayyyy too steep for this, if you ask me. I could just hear Papa Pea...."You paid HOW MUCH for that little shelving unit? I could have built it out of good wood for you for $30!" So, I took the photo...Now I can just say, "Can you build me one of these, please?" :-)

I hadn't cut into these last Thursday yet, so I didn't know how they turned out. I took them to the party Thursday night and they were DELICIOUS! They were a hit and were gobbled up quickly. I posted the recipe link here if you are interested.

And, lest you think I drink too much, we also went out for dinner and a little celebration. I am moving into a leadership position at work. So, starting July 1, I will be working on a 12-month contract instead of an academic one. This may mean less time for sewing and blogging. Hopefully I'll be able to maintain a sense of balance.

As a follow up about my appointment at the eye doctor yesterday....indeed, my vision has gotten worse. I told the doctor I really did not want glasses, but the whole reading glasses thing isn't working so well for me anymore. Because my distance vision is great, my doctor proposed I put in one contact with correction for close up work. My mom had suggested this to me. I thought it was a little crazy and wasn't sure I could adapt to that. But it seems to be working out pretty well for me so far. I'm in a 2-week trial phase. We'll see how it goes. I'm quite pleased with the results so far, however! I am typing this without glasses, and I can actually see what I'm doing!

I'm linking up with Cindy, over at Live a Colorful Life, for Really Random Thursday. Won't you swing by her blog for some lovely randomness today?

Until next time,

Comments

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I didn't even know this was Thursday. I thought it was Tuesday and you were posting your Really Random post on the wrong day! Geez. I haven't even been drinking. Congrats on your new position. I think it will make it easier for you, you'll have more time (once you get used to it, that is).

Posted by: Linda in Calif. | May 02, 2013 at 03:58 PM

visiting from really random thursday. Your post made me laugh. I love the comment about " we call it an Amish Buggy" - my husband says things like that. I love the blossom on the tree

Posted by: Karen Schulz | May 02, 2013 at 05:57 PM

Enjoyed your post and catching up on your busy life. I can't get over how the flowers have popped out over night. It's beautiful here too. I always loved those Fairy Tales and bet Sweet Pea will too. At least you have a joyful reason to drink! Congratulations on your promotion. Making my blocks drive me to drink. LOL Great pictures!

Posted by: caroll | May 02, 2013 at 06:09 PM

The fairy garden is sooo cute! I love that she wants to move them around to fool people!

Posted by: Lynn | May 02, 2013 at 06:26 PM

Nice post! We got our cycles out last Sunday, also (see my post w/ photos) but we are in the midst of THE May snowstorm that is making new. We, here in S.E. MN (bottom right hand corner) only got a few(?) inches not the 15"+ that fell just to the west and north!! I do the "contact thing" only I need for distance, too, so have 1 contact for distance and the other eye is a bi-focal lens. The brain is a miraculous creation!!!! Hugs, Doreen

Posted by: Doreen | May 02, 2013 at 07:41 PM

How wonderful to welcome spring with a bike ride, a flowering tree, AND a Corona! I'm looking forward to those things here too.

I adore the Brothers Grimm stories, especially since I never got to read any as a little kid. Some day, I hope to own a beautifully illustrated edition.

Posted by: terriaw | May 03, 2013 at 12:03 PM

Some awesome random Mama Pea! Hasn't this weather been wonderful? I looked in our forecast and don't see any of the snow that hit the plains -- where did it go???

I'm impressed that you can do the one contact thing. I think that would drive me over the edge!

Posted by: Thimbleanna | May 04, 2013 at 09:35 AM

I like random Thursdays! Those rice krispie bars look awesome - it combines two of my favortie treats! Your neighbors may protest the peacocks :) - we had a neighbor with some and they make such a racket - I used to tell the kids that would visit that there were Pterodactyls living in woods.

Posted by: Deb | May 10, 2013 at 01:08 PM