Hodgepodge

1. It's officially spring in the northern hemisphere. Does it feel like spring in your part of the world? If you're in the southern hemisphere it's officially autumn where you live. Does the weather say autumn? Which do you prefer-spring or autumn? Why? 

Oh goodness yes, it feels like spring! The temperature fluctuations, the rain, the thunderstorms- yes, very spring. It's hard to say whether I prefer spring or autumn. Autumn has that crispness in the air and the joy of looking forward to the holidays and being cozy inside. I love that! But spring is nice, too, in many ways. The warmth after the cold, seeing new plant life emerge, planting, planning for warm weather and outside activities.  

2. What's your favorite thing about spring? 

Seeing growth in the garden and flower beds. Celebrating Easter. My birthday is in the spring. Our anniversary is in the spring. Ok, I listed my favorite things about spring :).

Buds...

Blooms...

Herbs...

Vegetable leaves

Flowers... and it's not even April!

3. Spring into action, spring in your step, spring to life, spring to one's feet...which spring idiom currently applies to your life in some way? Explain.  

Spring into action- it's going to be a busy spring. After our school district's spring break (next week), I will be subbing a lot. I will be quite busy during the day. And we have a decent bit of plans for the weekends. I'm already getting a little stressed thinking about it (though trying to focus on the positive!).

4. Which spring food from this list is your favorite? What's a dish you like that includes your favorite spring ingredient? 

asparagus, strawberries, salad greens like mesclun, artichokes, spinach, eggs, peas, spring onions

My favorite would be a tie between strawberries and eggs (hard boiled is one of my current favorite ways to eat them). 

A dish that I like is a garden salad with my favorite veggies (none of the ones listed here sadly!), lots of cheese, some bacon (if I have any), some turkey breast and plenty of hard boiled egg pieces. (I guess I sort of described a Cobb salad?)  

5. What's one task on your spring cleaning list? Do you actually have a list?

No list. The windows need to be cleaned.  

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I haven't worked yet this week and have spent time at home. That's both good and bad as being at home sometimes results in me thinking about projects to do/accomplish around the house and in the yard. Projects are a double edge sword: On the one hand, it's great to accomplish things. On the other hand, the accomplishment does not occur without lots of decisions, time spent doing research, spending money, etc. 

The covered area of the patio is in great shape and we don't need to do anything. But the uncovered part of the patio needs some attention. We had a fence installed just one year ago that is already looking janky and we need to do something about it. 

Warped boards...

Flaking paint...

EEKS! I'd guess it to be at least five years old if I didn't know better.

Then we have this huge umbrella. We can't do anything about it- we need it as shade when we eat at the table (if the sun is out when we eat at the table. It doesn't look fantastic but there's little to be done about that aspect of it. 

Then there's the dining table. I think that because no chairs are around it, it looks like a big coffin or something. There are actually two benches for the long sides of it that are stored/pushed inside the table. And we have two chairs for the ends that are stored elsewhere. The table has two covers on it to protect it. When you take the covers off, you can play ping pong on the table, and if you slide the top hard surface of it off, it reveals a pool table (not regulation size but a smaller version of a pool table).  Anyway, being able to play games with the table is the reason no seating options are visible and it's why the covers need to be on (to protect the top of the table/the ping pong surface). It just looks a bit funny since it appears to be just a large rectangle. 

Nothing can be done about how the table looks though maybe adding a centerpiece would help make it look more table-y and less coffin/pyre looking?

I think for sure the area needs color- I need to get some planters and plant some flowers with vibrant colors. Maybe I'll ask AI for suggestions...

Linking up with Joyce for the Hodgepodge