The world's favorite season is the spring.
All things seem possible in May.
~Edwin Way Teale~

I am so thrilled that May is finally here! Yesterday, it warmed up enough to start some serious melting again. The water dripped off the roof and made puddles in the yard. The deck cleared - again - and I'm hoping that it will stay that way!

Yesterday, my new camera also arrived via UPS! It didn't get here until later in the afternoon, so I didn't have time to play around with it, except for some indoor photos of nothing important.

Today, I had the chance to take it out and really play with it, but it's going to take me a little while to learn all of the special functions and capabilities of this new toy. Tomorrow, I will have another chance to practice with it, as I will be going to a First Holy Communion rehearsal and checking out the lighting situation in the church. On Sunday, I will be photographing the Communion, so I'm glad I'll have the opportunity to get some practice shots ahead of time.

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I apologize for my long absence. I have been so busy with many things, and I barely have time to breathe lately. The weather has been glorious, which means I'm spending more time outdoors in the sunshine and the daylight - which now lasts more than 18 hours per day! It's so rejuvenating!

I'll try to catch you all up on how the last week has been for me...

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It has been a wonderful week. The weather has been great, with only a few occasions of periodic rain. We've been seeing highs in the 50s, and the tiny buds at the tops of the trees have unfurled into baby leaves. How wonderful to see green cloaking the landscape!

Last Saturday night, the dance recital went very well. I haven't had a chance to watch the video that Steve took, but I was proud that I only made one mistake and recovered from it nicely. We all had such a great time, and at the end of the show, all of the dancers came out on the stage at the same time, while the audience cheered and applauded us. What fun! I think I may do this again next year.

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The weather has continued to be wonderful - warm and sunny. As I type this, however, it's raining. The sliding glass door is open and I can smell the fresh, clean scent of rain and wet soil. I love the way it smells when it rains.

Last weekend, Steve and I went to the annual Clucking Blossom Festival. It was held up at Birch Hill Rec Area, and there were bands performing, food, dancers, crafts for kids, and an outdoor forest gallery. The festival drew quite a crowd of sun worshippers, children, pets, and 60s-inspired young people (as well as folks who actually grew up in the 60s and 70s). The sun was blazing, and the cool shade of the forest gallery was welcome. Along the path (a cross-country ski trail), there were various pieces on display. It was a beautiful way to present drawings and paintings, sculptures, and even some off-the-wall displays. Art is in the eye of the beholder, right?

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I've been here, but keeping busy. I feel like every single one of my entries lately is an apology for not writing. I'm not going to do that anymore. We're at the beginning of a new summer, and it's going to get a lot crazier as the days pass. I hope I can keep up with this journal over the next few months, as we have many adventures ahead of us, and I'm not sure if internet access will be available while we're traveling.

About a week ago, I was checking on airfares to Madison to see the boys (and Becky) sometime in December or January for the holidays. The day I was plugging in dates, Alaska Airlines had a fare listed of more than $3000 roundtrip from Fairbanks to Madison. I nearly had a heart attack. I know things are getting expensive with the price of fuel going through the roof, but $3000?! I thought I was seeing wrong, so I had my friend check the fare for me from her computer. Of course she got the same thing. I will add that the next day the fares dropped to $1300, but that's still too much money for a roundtrip ticket to the Lower 48. On a whim, I searched airfares from AK to HI, and both Steve and I could fly to the islands for the same as one ticket to Madison! I jokingly told my kids that warm weather beats out cold Madison in December.

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