Ready For Spring??? Absolutely!

Well, this week didn't do much for my average in picking football games. Both TCU and Georgia Tech came up on the short ends of their respective games but that gave me some hope that Texas would surprise most of the country in Thursday night's Championship game with Alabama. The first five plays, before Colt was knocked out of the game, provided a glimpse of what might have been. The surprise to everyone, I think, was the generally excellent defensive play of the Longhorns, and the fact that Garrett Gilbert managed to get fairly comfortable for a good portion of the second half. But that's alright; the 'Horns will get after it next year.

*****

We never did get any rain this week, still, the clouds moved out today allowing our spirits to rise a bit. But it's three o'clock in the afternoon and the temperature is only 36°, and that's way too cold. Consequently, I'll take this opportunity to do what I can to hurry the seasons along into Spring.

I don't think there's any better way to do that than with variety and color. I don't know offhand whether these pictures were taken in the Spring or the Summer, but I know it wasn't Winter! This hibiscus is one of the many residents of Karen's garden.

These tiny whatever-they-are grew wild around the spring house at Joe's cottage up in Yancey County, NC. At least I assume they are wild.

I'm not absolutely sure, but I think these are known as Sweet William or, if you were on the other side in the American Revolution, Stinking Billy. Now, lest you think I'm the only one whose mind runs to trivia, I didn't read that anywhere - Karen told me. I also think these particular flowers were hers.

The lovely azaleas above were sort of mine, though I didn't grow them. My next door neighbor in Kennesaw planted several of these bushes across our property line to hide a couple of unsightly boxes one of the utility companies saddled us with.

Back by the pool in Karen's yard I found these guys especially appealing - mainly, due to the fact that I could use the sky as a background without actually having to get down on the ground to shoot the picture.

Across the pool, I found these little pastel whatevers and decided they were something I'd never seen before. I still don't know what they are, but they're pretty - and it was warm when I took the picture.

This thing, except for the little bit of damage on the right, looks like I remember a pansy. Only it seems much thinner and more delicate than those I remember. Again, I think it's Karen's.

And, last but not least, I shot these little guys at the edge of my patio in Kennesaw. The largest of these is slightly less than half an inch in diameter and I almost missed them altogether. This time I know it was early Spring, because I had just gotten my new camera, unpacked it, and gone out to sit in the sun and shoot everything of any interest in the backyard.

I hope, wherever you are, these pictures helped you forget how cold it is. I know it's helped me.