Hmmm... maybe this state is ok (for somethings).

Yesterday, as Nick and I were driving on some winding country-esque road, past trees exploding in pinks, purples, and white - Nick asked "Why don't they ever talk about Spring colors?"

It seems odd, that "they" only ever talk about Fall Foliage. "They" must be all of the jaded, cold blooded Yankees who have never experienced a New Jersey Spring. As I recall from the 8 or so years I lived in Somerville, the weather pattern went something like this: winterwinterwinterwinterwinterwinterwinterwinterwinter ONE NICE DAYbacktowinterbacktowinterSUMMER...

Here, in late March, something definitely shifted. The air smelled different and there were real, live daffodils blooming by early April.
Now, at the end of April, it's out of control. Cherry Trees are everywhere. There are more varieties of cherry blossom trees than I ever thought exsisted. Some are "weeping", some look like ballerinas in gauzy tutues (sp?), and some look like big poofs of cotton candy.

I started this entry in late April, and now, as I finish it in early May, I am still amazed that trees and flowers keep blooming. Now it's the dogwood and magnolia trees' turns. Oh, and the azaleas. And the lilacs. And the big purpley bushes that I've never seen before.

Frankly, it's out of control.

You just need to take a trip down here to see it for yourself.

No, we didn't adopt a small child with a large fuzzy face. Our laps were just feeling a little empty for the picture.

It's been a little while

Sometimes, when you move to a new place, get a new job, and pretty much, mix your whole life up, it's tough to regularly post blog updates.

March roared in like a lion and left us 31 days later with water up to our eyeballs (more on that later). But, it was a great month. Our dear friends the Goodsells came to visit and proved, once again, that even if you don't see a good friend for a while, you can pick up right where you left off. We shared laughs, cheesesteaks, and long conversations. Paige spent the weekend taking plastic spoons out of a basket and putting them back in the basket. A great time was had by all (see picture above).

Work continues to chug along. Nice people, interesting work. No drama. What a concept!! I had forgotten how much fun work could be.

It was sad, right around the 30th, to be un-surrounded by my friends, not sharing the very best yellow cake with white icing made especially for me by one Ms. Amy Cooper (my blogmother). But, we got on a plane the next day and flew to Arizona to bear witness to my best friend from high school's wedding. Amy K. and her girlfriend, well, now wife, threw quite a shindig after a truly beautiful ceremony. It was all held at Boojam Hidden Garden.

The day after the wedding we drove and drove. After driving 2 hours north to Sedona, we went further west to Jerome. The sign read "Jerome 24 miles", but that didn't tell us that we would have to drive over a mile UP to get to the old copper mining town turned artsy-fartsy gallery land.
Then, we had to drive DOWN the mountain. I, being in the passenger seat, felt this was more terrifying. Nick, being in the driver's seat, thought that going up was a bit more hair-raising because we were on the outside lane, at points without a guardrail separating our car from certain, plummeting death.

After Jermone,we drove to Prescott, and ate at a wonderful little cafe called Pearl's Place, a place so new (it only opened a week ago) that it's only listing on the web is in a municipal government issued spreadsheet detailing pending liquor license applications. If you happen to be in Prescott Arizona, take the time to find Pearl's tucked in among the noisier tourist traps on Whiskey Row. And get the Onyx chili. Yumm. Oh, and the website is wrong because they serve liquor. Hmmm, or they are breaking the law.....

When we returned to NJ on Sunday evening we learned that it had rained, pretty much non-stop, since Thursday. Sadly, the Delaware River couldn't handle it and burst out of it's bed Monday morning, just in time for rush hour. My two favorite towns here - Lambertville and New Hope - apparently got hammered. Very sad.

But, today it was 76 degrees and sunny. Flowers are blooming and, thanks to day light savings time, the days are longer.

I hope wherever you are, you are unflooded and happy that Spring has Sprung.