Easter, Spring and A Time Of Remembering

Here we are already at the end of April, so says the calendar.  But judging by the look of things outside, it's more like the end of February!  We (in Chicago) have had a rather rainy and quite cold Spring to say the least.  With Easter just around the corner...this weekend to be exact, we're hoping for a day of some sun and warmer temperatures. 
I've always looked forward to this time of year, flowers blooming and trees budding, the grass turning an amazing shade of deep green.  The robins singing in the morning and at night along with the red-wing blackbirds which signals that Spring has really arrived. 

It also gets me to thinking even more about my mom.  Mom's favorite time of the year was Spring.  She could not wait to get her hands in the dirt and prep her flower and vegetable beds for one of her greatest pleasures...gardening.
Mom had the most amazing and colorful flowers in the neighborhood.  She, at one time, had the largest garden of anyone in the neighborhood!  People that would pass by the house, would stop and comment on how beautiful the yard was.  From her tenacious way of turning the dirt, to carefully picking the first tomato when it was ready, she truly had a love and respect of nature and all that it had to offer.
This weekend I will go and place the flowers she so loved at her final resting place, the nature sanctuary.
 Her wishes, when the time came, were to be next to my dad under the Maple tree that overlooks a magnificent view of a pond and a garden that's filled with her favorite...flowers.

                                                                

A New Year, A New Name, A New Beginning

There's one thing about living in Chicago that you begin to think about this time of year...Spring.  In comes January and along with it, it brings the bitter cold, short days and long nights.  We Chicagoans look forward to the crocuses peaking up from the snowy ground.  Then, we're on the look out for the first robin signaling that we've rounded that winter corner and now headed towards longer days and brighter sunlight. Ahhhh, a new beginning.

A fresh new beginning and, a fresh new name of the breast cancer support group at our local hospital. We will no longer have the title of a support group, but a Survive and Thrive group.  Much more fitting for some of todays cancer patients that go on to lead and live a long life.  Leading by example to those still in treatment that there is life after cancer.  Showing them the ropes.  Talking about what's important to them in todays world as a cancer survivor.  Maybe it will be their hopes, their dreams or their new found passion, but one thing the "newbies" of  survivorland will experience with this group; a new program, a new location and a fresh new start on their brand new life.