Tag: Spring

SPRING?

On By jillhaymakerIn baby boomer romance, contemporary romance, cowboys, family, motherhood, love, flowers, gardening, happy endings, later in life romance, new release, romance, second chance romance, silver fox romance, small town romance, Uncategorized, western romanceLeave a comment

Is it Spring yet? No matter where you reside, when we reach the end of February, you’re bond to hear this sentiment. If you live in the southern United States like I currently do, the answer is almost. In a couple more weeks it will be safe to plant without fear of frost. On my morning walk today, I saw yards filled with blooming daffodils, pansies, forsythia, and flowering trees. The azaleas are starting get their first blooms.

If, however, you live farther north, like my former home in Colorado, consistent warmer temperatures are still several months away. Although you may experience beautiful, warm March days, the next day you may get several feet of snow. The danger of frost stays until after Mother’s Day, regardless of the fact that the first day of spring is on the calendar in March.

Why do we look so forward to spring? Probably for many reasons. The days get longer, and the gloom of winter fades. Spring signals a new beginning, a time that reflects hope. A sign that no matter how dark our lives get, there will be a brighter tomorrow. There’s something so reassuring about watching tiny plants emerge from the recently frozen ground. Seeds that never gave up, but merely waited for their season. I love that!

It’s similar to the reason I write romances. I love the happy endings. Readers can pick up a romance novel and be assured that no matter how bad a situation may appear, that it will get better, the characters will fall in love, and they will have a happy ending. After all, isn’t that we all want for our lives?

So find hope in the anticipation of spring, whether it’s next week or next month or a ways down the road.

My latest novel, Climb up to Love,  was released last week. If you love stories of hope and new beginnings, get your copy now, and see how Sierra and Storm find a new beginning and overcome the darkness of their pasts. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084BP9GW6

CUTL front final

Springtime

On By jillhaymakerIn flowers, gardening, springtime, UncategorizedLeave a comment

front garden

I love spring! It’s so amazing when the cold of winter vanishes and the first flowers of spring make their appearance. Here in East Texas, spring comes a couple month earlier than it did when I lived in Colorado. When the danger of frost is past in mid-March, I’m ready to plant. I smile as tiny growth appears from last year, and I rarely come home from shopping without at least one new flower for my yard. I’ve had to learn new plants and new time frames these past couple of years, but I still mange to fill my yard with color. This year I bought a peacock at a flea market 🙂 It’s my new favorite. And the azaleas! There’s nothing prettier than when they are in bloom.

With temperatures topping out in the 70’s and 80’s, these days and evenings are perfect for long walks with my dog, Merlin. Not too hot, not too cold-but just right. I know these days are fleeting, soon summer will be here full force with its 90 and 100 degree temperatures and bugs, lots of bugs, that will force me to spend more time back inside.

But for now, I’m spending as much time as I possibly can outdoors in the beauty of nature. It is truly a spectacular planet we live on!

azaleas

First day of Spring?

On By jillhaymakerIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

daffodil

Well, it’s here, this is officially the first day of Spring 2014.  I want to be excited–Why?  Because I hate winter, I hate cold, I hate snow, and this year has been worst than most here in Colorado. Oh I know I shouldn’t complain when half of the U.S., mainly the east coast, has had a much more severe winter than here in Colorado, but I am complaining anyway, because did I mention–I HATE COLD AND SNOW!  Anyway, back to today, we all believe, or want to believe, that the advent of Spring signals the start of warmer weather.  Put away the down jacket and wool suits and get out all my colorful spring outfits.  But wait, not so fast, here in Colorado we usually have more snow during “Spring” than we do in winter.  And scheduling a soccer game or track meet on a Spring Saturday is a sure guarantee of cold and snow! So although I am smiling that it is finally Spring, I will remain cautiously optimistic.  For today, I am excited, even though there was a good deal of frost on my deck this morning, the prediction is that our temperatures will rise to the high 60’s by late afternoon. (Although I would prefer the 80’s, 60’s are indeed glorious this time of year).  I intend to get outside with my dog and enjoy.  But then there’s tomorrow, the second day of Spring, when the forecast is for temps to top out in the high 40’s and Saturday, the third day of Spring, the day I have to be outside the ENTIRE day, even worse a prediction of a high of 40 with snow or rain showers! So forgive me if I am not overly excited about the arrival of Spring, but the idea of Spring–That’s something to truly celebrate!