April - A Look Ahead

This month has been ushered in with a flourish of spring growth! The weather continues to be unusually warm, and the vegetation has responded with exuberance. The season is about two weeks further along than last year. Our backyard woodlands have been transformed into a patchwork of green hues. The glorious dogwood blooms are already on their downhill slide. A few late daffodils are still blooming in our flowerbeds, but will probably fizzle out later on this week. The daylily fronds are full and lush. April is a delicious feast for the eyes.

We’ve decided to get a Japanese maple with green foliage and plant it in the front yard. It will keep company another Japanese maple of the Bloodgood variety. The planned retaining wall project around the left-front flowerbed didn’t get accomplished last month because of rain delays. The contractor now promises that it will start this week. Our collective fingers are crossed. With the arrival of moderate temperatures, we also have the itch to go ahead and plant some annual flowers. But we don’t dare. We won’t be here to cover them in case a cold snap arrives. 

Yes, we are going on a little excursion! I am resigning from my consulting work at the end of this week. To celebrate, we’re going to hit the road later on this month! First of all, we’ll be visiting my sweet mom in Indiana for a few days. The trip back home will consist of some touring, visiting, and savoring. We’ll meet up with a dear blogging friend (Joan of Joan’s Journeys) and play tourist in the grand city of Cincinnati. Then we’ll stay in beautiful Lexington to enjoy the thoroughbred races at Keeneland racetrack. Of course, we’ll make sure that the itinerary includes a few visits to Kentucky bourbon distilleries too. 

I don’t plan to blog while we are gone. But, you never know if Marty will tinker around with Missy Mac during my absence and post a few photos! He's full of surprises, you know.

After we get back, I am going to relish a return to “retirement mode.” I have pretty much forgotten what it is like! Many projects have been postponed for the past two years, and I’ll start tackling them one by one. And I am excited that Photoshop CS6 will be released at the same time that I’ll have more time available for photo editing. There is much more for me to learn! And, you’ll be happy to know that I have finally started editing my vacation photos from the Canadian Maritimes. Those photos will make an appearance after the Katmai brown bear series comes to a close. 

April will be a wonderful month!