Signs of Spring

Yesterday was officially the first day of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Other than it being an astronomical event— the vernal equinox— it's just a day on the calendar. I.e., just because the season changes on paper doesn't mean the season changes. But this time, coincidentally, there are signs of the season changing!

Yesterday after our shots, and before the reactions set in, we went for a walk around the neighborhood. Wildflowers are blooming nicely right now, including these California Poppies, our state flower:



Wildflower blooms are triggered by a period of rain followed by a period of dry, warmer weather. We've actually had the pattern within the past few weeks. Earlier this month we got several days of gentle rain— much needed after no rain at all in February— and now it has warmed up a bit. It's not warm-warm; there are no 70° days yet (not since January, anyway!). But at around 64° F and sunny, and with no rain visible in the 10-day forecast, I decided it was time to pull our patio furniture from storage and set it up on the balcony.



That's a glass of Spanish Cava in my hand. It's a sparkling wine; this one's a rosé, made from garnacha (grenache) grapes. I'm enjoying it as I write this blog and catch up on email, etc. while sitting on the balcony.

June Flights Booked; Grounding to End After 16 Months

This afternoon Hawk and I booked flights for a trip in June. This is a trip to the east coast we booked and rebooked a few times last year and ultimately canceled. Two friends "getting married" in New York, and in addition to joining their celebration we'll enjoy a week of personal travel ourselves. Among other things we'll notch another bucket list item by visiting Acadia National Park in Maine.

BTW I quote "getting married" because our friends already are married. I know because I said the magic words and signed the legal paperwork. And we made the news. But that was a small, civil ceremony, and they (and their parents) want a big, traditional, religious ceremony. That's coming in June. The fourth time's a charm!

This trip in June— assuming it doesn't get canceled due to further Coronavirus woes— will break my long period of being grounded. The last time I set foot aboard an aircraft was last February. Just a week after that businesses started shutting down non-critical travel. Widespread lockdowns followed a few weeks later. By June my grounded streak will have run to almost 16 months. After all this time I worry I'm out of frequent flyer shape. I'll see in a few months how long it takes to regain my sea legs— er, air wings!

UPDATE: My grounding ended a month earlier. After posting this blog in March with June plans, a month later we planned a last-minute trip to eastern Washington and Idaho in May.