You really do have to stop and smell the flowers because they don’t stick around.
APR 17, 2025
Dear Reader,
I’m finding it really hard to focus. Maybe because it’s spring?
I adore spring. I love the way all the trees wake up from their winter sleep by putting on shiny new green leaves. I love the way flowers pop up everywhere, especially in Texas.
Did you know that the highways were seeded with flowers on purpose? Lady Bird Johnson spearheaded an effort to transform highways into “corridors of color,” using native plants and flowers to adorn the roadsides. Toward the end of March and into April there are places in Texas that come alive with blues, reds, yellows, and purples. People flock here from all over to get a picture nestled among the bluebonnets in particular.
I’ve seen traffic jams caused by a particularly juicy patch of bluebonnets. When I worked in Irving, there was a hillside right at my exit that was perfect for portraits. People would park all along the road, into the road, around the road…basically anywhere. It really made it hard to get to work. (oh darn!)
Pro Tip: LOOK very carefully before you sit down to frolic with the blossoms. Fire ants, snakes, and all kinds of crawly things love flowers too.
I took a pilgrimage years ago along some back roads to find flowers. Now that we’re back in Texas I was really hoping to do another round this year to see how things have changed, but so far I haven’t managed to pry myself away from All The Things. Texas is big, and the drive is long, and it takes dedication and at least a day to get to the really good spots.
I am, however, about to drive to Fort Worth for our annual Spring Birthday Extravaganza. Maybe I’ll make a pitstop along the way. Hope I haven’t missed them!
Until next time,
**Book News**
GaG — Current Word Count: 8,077. Favorite Line of the Week: “Please do come in. May I offer you…a bath? Or perhaps a new wardrobe?”
I really hope pollen season is over! I do realize that means we’re about to be blasted by furnace season but at least I can hide from that inside where there’s AC. There’s no hiding from pollen season.