Happy Spring!

Not a day too early spring arrived on Friday. The weather here was a bit bizarre. A thunderstorm for five minutes, (a rarity for the west coast) lots of rain, a brief hour of sunshine and then back to rain. Below is a pic of our front birch tree adorned with rain drops. Despite being blurry I thought it was a spring invoking image. The evening of Equinox we had a Welcome Spring potluck bar-b-q. And In honour of the season I made potato salad. While making it I thought it was very festive looking and took some photos of it too.

I've decorated the house with bunnies and eggs. Spring cleaning is happening bit by bit. This year the arrival of spring has refreshed my spirits. We have lots going on and a lot to look forward to this year.
My mother and grandmother arrive this Sunday for a week long visit. It will be my grandmother's first visit with me here. It will be great to have them here. We'll be low key because my grandmother's knee bothers her, so lots of walking will not be possible. But just having them here will be wonderful.
We are in the process of planning two family trips this summer. One will be camping on one of the Gulf Islands. We are planning to be there for the Summer Solstice which is making my heart sing. The Gulf Islands are untouched by the busy pace of the city. We can lounge on the beach, hike, canoe, visit local artists studios and sample great food. My hubby is a bit apprehensive about camping but I have an inkling that he's going to love it. Our other small get away will be on another Gulf Island with my in-laws. We'll only be there for the weekend but they are renting a cabin for a week. Again we'll be able to enjoy island life and have a short get-a-way. Last summer we didn't vacation at all, so this will be a treat for us.
My very generous husband traded in his Petro points for a $25 Amazon gift card and said, pick some books for yourself. That is the best gift he could ever offer me! I chose 3 from my wish list, Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv, Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman and The Way of the Green Witch by Arin Murphy-Hiscock. I'm very excited to read these (but I do have a huge list already waiting in my bookcase. What a dilemma!)
I've been a bit behind on my posting and my blog reading but I will get caught up eventually. I think I have gotten rid of my blues for this month. I'm on to the exciting developments that spring can bring. Future posts will include my final Making Artful pillows post, an evolution of my garden post, and an update on my creative projects list.
I hope you are all filled with the magic of spring and are renewed by the sounds and smells of the earth waking again.