The Wind in the Willows

Brought to you by Angie & her Wordful Wednesday.

The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame's children's tale of Mole & Ratty, Toad, Badger & The Chief Weasel thrilled me as a young Scribe. I so wanted to disappear, sometimes, into the Wild Wood. Grahame's message of forgiveness & compassion still resonate with me today.

Today's lesson is about the power of Spring. And yes, it does have a metaphorical Weeping Willow at its center.

Ella Numera Una's friendships are vast; her loyalty runs deep. So it was not without a great deal of sadness that she & The Boy called it quits last week. I promised I wouldn't go into it; wouldn't dwell on the parting of the ways. I've tried to be supportive, to be "there"; to render advice; sometimes when asked, most often when not.

I know there's a good chance that the young man reads some of the words I write in this space. So, if you're tuning in, dear, I hold no grievance, no antipathy, no anger. But you also need to know that even though she's sad, my chica is moving on.

So, what about the potted Weeping Willow in the snap above?

Our neighbors hosted a stunning, 40- to 50-foot willow at the end of our street. It blew down in a horrific wind storm 3 years ago. Owing to my "green thumb" & all, I decided to take cuttings and try to root them.

The result was a beautiful Bonsai-type, miniature Weeping Willow, which resides on my deck. And when the chica moved into a new apartment last Fall, I made some cuttings, rooted them & sent them along to Madison, Wisconsin. The result is Willy the Willow, perched at the top of this post.

Willy, though, is a deciduous tree; he loses his leaves in winter. Una became alarmed at the rapid retreat of greenery. Willy, she said, ended up looking like a collection of sticks stuck in some dirt on her back deck. She took him inside to try to rehabilitate him, but he chose to lie dormant all winter.

Spring has arrived in Wisconsin, though, along with the promise of new & exciting adventures ahead. Willy is back out on Una's deck. We went to the gardening store yesterday & acquired a new pot and some fresh soil. Willy now has a new home. And he's already showing signs of renewal, with a couple of small green leaves sprouting on one of his brown, stick-like branches.

As we grow, we learn about life. Even The Chief Weasel from The Wind in the Willows acquired some knowledge in that allegorical tale. Una now knows that in order to grow, sometimes we need to shed our leaves. But Spring always brings new growth. And I'm awfully glad of that.

Spring Break Siesta

I'm on the road again. After leaving St. Pete Beach, with the youngest, I hoofed it home for a couple of nites in my own bed. Now I'm up at the other end of the world in Wisconsin, visiting Ella Numera Una.

You'd think I was interested in having a bipolar Spring Break, but believe me, there's a method to my madness. See, right after we left FLA, all heck broke loose. The Gulf Coast of the Sunshine State has had torrential rains since our departure. DC wasn't in such great shape when I left yesterday morning, either. So, I've abandoned the almost-April showers of the East Coast for the 60s & 70s of the sunny Upper Midwest.

And you thought Global Warming was a bad thing, correctamundo?

I've been doing naught but being a "Mom" since arriving yesterday. We hiked a couple of miles & back, to a favorite sub shop, then I tippy-tapped on my computer while the chica napped. We'll be running errands all week~Home Depot here, Target there~hanging out & perhaps catching a few episodes of "Ally McBeal," that rad '90s show my aspiring lawyer chick got on DVD from Santa this past Xmas.

Oh, and dreading the return to Our Humble High School. The good news is we're headed for the home stretch. Bad news~natch~is that the School Board tacked on extra days in the wake of our Snowpocalypse. We'll be in school 'til June 25th, about the time I'll be headed out to the OBX for my summer soirée.

Ella Numera Dos has an almost mirror image to mine on her photoblog this a.m. You should check out her beachfront slumbers at MOO!

Blogging: A Community of Content or Commercialism?

I started blogging because I love the conversation that can be had thru the written word. I try to post daily, when the spirit moves & when I have something to say. I write about my life: teachers as babysitters, mothers as teachers, children as mentors & as friends.

Blogging didn't come naturally to me, because I'm not, by nature, an effusive person. I didn't hang with the "popular" crowd in high school. I preferred my iconoclastic ways in college. I ended up in one profession~journalism~that confirmed my cynicism & another~teaching~that sometimes stretched the boundaries of my social abilities.

I've been in love with the written word since before I even consciously knew the power of putting letters of the alphabet together. And I've stuck with The Scholastic Scribe for more than 2 years because I believe in that power & its ability to create sense out of a chaotic world.

The Art of Blogging & I have not always been the best of friends. I've slogged thru comments that sometimes are misspelled & often reflect the fact that readers aren't really reading. I've commented on more than my share of "I'm Not Quite Sure Why I Wrote This" posts. I've grown to recognize that blogging is a 2-way street, and the way to get someone to post a comment in one's space is by visiting theirs and commenting, as well. But I've also learned that some people just flit around the blogosphere & don't really have a commitment to anything. Like many of my cherubs, they're afflicted with a short attention span & don't really have the ability to do the work that's needed to maintain a 2-way conversation.

And I've met dozens of bloggers who want to be the new Dooce, the new Pioneer Woman, the new SITStas of the universe. Imagine...sitting at one's basement computer, in flannel jammies, raking in the Big Bucks. What could be sweeter than that?

Which is why I want to promote an upstart blog that doesn't want to do any of that. These bloggers are interested in stressing content over commercialism. The written word over the glam giveaway. In the words of Pam & Sandy, Words of Wisdom is looking for those of use who want to get "back to the basics of blogging."

"...we've had problems finding great blogs to read.," Pam said in an e-mail to me yesterday. "We've joined other sites and blog-hopped and visited and commented and found very few bloggers who were blogging for the writing."

The idea behind Words of Wisdom is simple: Pam & Sandy want us to spread the word about our favorite bloggers. Those who feature few ads or giveaways. Those who are into blogging because they want to use words to build a community~not of consensus, but of creativity & respect for the written word. A cyber meeting place, where we can gather together to share our thoughts, words & deeds.

Please visit Words of Wisdom. Its founders plan to feature what they call "Blogs of Note" every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with a goal of eventually showcasing such blogs every day. They are now soliciting for bloggers who want to join this cyber conversation. And yes, I did throw my hat into the proverbial ring.

"For a few months we talked about finding a site for like-minded bloggers," Pam said in her e-mail, "but couldn't do it. Then we decided to do it ourselves. The response has been fabulous. I think perhaps we are the minority in the bloggy world, but there are some of us out there and we're all just looking for a place to meet. Our hope is that WOW will be that place."

I've done quite a bit of reading up on the nuances of the blogosphere. So many of us come & go. I'd like to think I'm in this blogging biz for the long-haul. I'm interested in a continuing conversation & Words of Wisdom looks like just the kind of place to start.

In the interest of full disclosure, I snagged the snap above after entering a giveaway & actually winning. The artwork perched above my computer is an original by Lynda, of Art on a Limb. Lynda was one of my first blog friends. She posts infrequently now. For the record, I miss her company & wish she'd come back so we can continue our conversation.

The piece is called "One Spirit." I believe it embodies what Pam & Sandy are trying to accomplish. Remember...a conversation is much more than just a bunch of words strung together.

If the Shoe Fits...

One of my chicas snagged this shot at a sorority formal. I'm thinking that there must have been a sale at DSW just before this particular event?

You Silly Sunday Sweepstakes veterans know what to do, correctamundo? Take a gander at this Superior Snap. Come up with a caption for said snap & tippy-type it, real quick-like, in the comments section of this post.

And that's all there is to it, Scribe fans! You won't win anything tangible, this time around, for all your toil & trouble. Just the knowledge that you've given a whole herd of us a good giggle. And what could be better than that?

I ♥ the Beach: It's True!

When I found this amalgam of 3 shells joined as one by Mother Nature, I instantly thought "It's a heart!" On second reflection, though, it looks a little like one of those lonesome cattle head skeletons, hanging on a barbed wire fence out in the Wild, Wild West.

We're headed home to DC today. I'm a tad sad to leave the sand & the surf, but happy to be going home to nest, if only for 2 days. Headed out to see Ella Numera Una in the Upper Midwest next week. Methinks Wisconsin's "almost" Spring-like weather will be a shock to the system!

Cate at Show My Face sponsors 6-Word Saturday each week. My 6 words are in my title. You should visit over there and share, too!

Afternoon Delight

The St. Pete Beach sunsets are spectacular, even when the clouds move in. This color-splashed snap also features the Photographer in the family...Ella Numera Dos. Please check out her Gulf Sunset Palette over at MOO. Much more up close & personal than I could ever do. And artistic, too.

We're leaving the beach tomorrow. Always a bittersweet time. I miss Mr. Fairway & Pepper the Cat, but a part of me wants to stay here forever...

Old Florida has New Allure

Hosted each Thursday by Pseudonymous High School Teacher.

We're a traveling family. My folks took me to Infinity & Beyond. I've tried to replicate that experience with my 2 chicas.

The motto in La Familia Scribe? "Be Prepared." Just like Ella Numera Una y Ella Numera Dos, back in the day. Remind me to get this snap retouched. That scratch across Dos' face bothers me. But I love the fact that they're posing in front of a bookcase that carries a snap of them from their younger years.

I've always believed that a family that travels together stays together. Dos hoofed it over to España a couple years ago. Una did the Mediterranean cruise thing last year.

The Scribes do love their beaches. We've been every which way there's sand, from Hawaii, to Mexico, to Grand Cayman, to the Bahamas. We've touched our toes in the Atlantic, the Pacific & in the Mediterranean. And don't forget our beloved OBX.

This week, the Youngest and I are taking in a little oldstyle FLA sunshine & ambiance in St. Pete Beach.

St. Pete Beach & I are old friends. I remember this Gulf town on the string of barrier islands near St. Petersburg & Tampa from my college days. But the town's taken on a different hue since then.

The high rises still loom over pristine white sand. But instead of screaming "Florida Tacky," they've embraced their past~which includes everything from Art Deco allure to 1950s motel-chic~to weave a colorful backdrop to a beach vacation.

This is the Don Cesar, a flamingo-pink confection visible just after one crosses the drawbridge into town. And no, we're not staying here. Too upscale. BTW, this snap is also not Scribe-generated. Neither are the two of the restaurants, below. Please thank the St. Pete Beach CoC for that.

Ella & I have been hanging out at the beach, the pool and at several of the old-school Florida joints in town. We chowed down at Dockside Dave's last nite. Ella consumed a 15-oz. ribeye for $15. I think that's a dollar an ounce, correctamundo? And my fried clams were the best. Dave's has a seat-yourself aura and a hammerhead-hanging-on-the-wall decor. Perfect if you're just off the beach or are out for an evening on the town.

St. Pete Beach offers an international side to life, too. Bella Habana Restaurant serves Cuban sandwiches, steak grilled Cuban-style, a variety of fresh seafood & live music on Friday nites. This cute little place just screams "Bienvenido!" The waiters are pretty cute, too...an added plus.

Gotta say, there's not much more to do here than eat and sleep in the sun. Haven't seen too many college Spring-Breakers, though we have witnessed the recent arrival of quite a few families from the Midwest. But there's enough room here for all of us, even a week-and-a-half before Easter. The natives keep complaining about the slight haze that hangs over the beach each morning & evening. I don't know what they're talking about. St. Pete Beach has perfect "do nothing" weather.

Of course, when we get tired of all the eating & the sleeping, walking on the beach is always an option. At at place like St. Pete Beach, the surf's always up.

It's Only High School

As my long-time readers know, I have a special bond with my students. I teach them oodles of cool things: How to break blockbuster stories in the school paper, how to dress to impress and how to come off as the brightest crayons in the box, among other skills. But often, we do a little bit of trash-talking.

Because I'm the newspaper & yearbook adviser, I teach these kids over the course of 3 or 4 years. I first met the young man above when he was a 14-year-old froshie. I guess you can tell what I thought of him by the time he was ready to graduate.

Apparently, I am a woman of many quaint bromides. I interject them in the middle of a diatribe about deadlines; I sprinkle them in a convo concerning intrepid interview techniques. I've compiled quite a few of these maxims over the years. So much so, that my cherubs started making a list.

Number One Scribe Saying? "It's only high school." The kids get so wound up over the least significant of details. A cross world can send them dithering into the great beyond, at the end of which~natch~is that great high school equalizer, DRAMA.

One of my journalistas wants to make T-Shirts. On the front would be the line, "What Would Scribe Say?" On the back would be "It's only high school," followed by a few more tidbits from my œuvre.

Here, to wit, is The List. Hope you get a good giggle out of some of my sayings...

Original Scribe-isms

• Just stop. (When they're doing too much of anything...talking, yelling, gossiping, belching, etc.)
• OK—I’ll wait. (When the decibel level reaches Mach 12 & I can't get anyone's attention.)
• Do NOT Perturb & Outrage me! (I do not care for the mental image that the common acroynym invokes.)
• Yeah—whatever. (When the little ones make mountains out of molehills.)
• Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii… (Repeated several times, softly, to get the crowd's attention.)
• Stop picking your noses. (When they're, well, not doing what they're supposed to be doing.)
• GUYS! (To command attention when the softer approach doesn't work.)
• Let’s all sit around in a circle and sing "Kumbayah." (When they're sitting around picking their noses instead of doing their work.)
• Let’s not all jump at once. (When they "volunteer" to do something, usually involving extra credit.)
• Holy Guacamole! (A utilitarian interjection/exclamation.)
• If frogs had wings, they wouldn’t have to hop. (For those who tend to come up with far-fetched scenarios. As in "But, if so-and-so does such-and-such, wouldn't...?)
• Life in the fast lane. (When one or the other gets overwhelmed.)
• What’s up, Sweat Pea? (A greeting from my Texas youth.)
• It’s not brain surgery. (When a cherub wants to make a task MUCH more complicated than it has to be.)
• OK, I’m an idiot. (When someone points out that Mrs. Scribe's reasoning is not quite, well, reasonable.)
• Do you KISS your MOTHER with that MOUTH? (To reprimand my cherubs for the occasional stray "F Bomb" that drops in Room 215.)
• Pardon your French. (Same use as above.)
• It doesn’t matter. (Again, when the cherubs become overwhelmed. Or the teacher becomes overwhelmed. Or both.)
• Who are you tapping to? (When a student breaks out the forbidden cellie & starts texting.)
• You’re all nitwits! (A utilitarian phrase that comes in handy around teens. Believe me!)
• Talk amongst yourselves—for 5 minutes. (When someone~a friend, an administrator, a former student~appears at my classroom door & I must interrupt the "routine," I channel Mike Myers' Linda Richman. You know, the "Coffee Talk" lady from SNL back in the day.)
• Questions? Comments? Criticisms? (More rhetorical than substantive, although I really DO want to hear what they have to say.)
• It's only high school. (Because, well, it IS only high school, isn't it?)

All Different Angles

Meet The Editors. The cherub on the left has a tight hold on the student newspaper's reins. The cherub in The Barney Cabinet just wanted to know if there was enough room for her and the yearbooks. Apparently so.

You may remember Chica A from her vigilant watch over the student parking lot. Chica B, the Yearbook Editor, is the sillier of the 2, prefering to work in tight, enclosed spaces.

I just had to share this Superior Snap, 'cause i ♥ faces is featuring "Angles" this week. Looks like my journalistas are angling for some fun, oui?

OK, Facebook, We're Friends Now...

Yes, I've disrespected Facebook in this space before. Several times, in fact. But after several conferences with my chicas, I've come to see the error of my ways.

I've got a Facebook account now. But not one of those "I'll friend you, you friend me," kinda deals. It's basically for keeping up with The Ellas & former students & a stray blood relation or 2.

Still don't "get" the Wall thingy, where one may write random (well, sometimes not so random) missives for all the world (or at least one's "friends") to see. And I'm proud to say that my chicas have already wiped out their FB snaps of all their crazy shenanigans. Don't want future employers to get the goods on 'em, don'tcha know.

I do, however, have a funny Facebook tale to relate today. Ella Numera Dos was "Facebook Stalking" (zooming around to the pages of long-lost high school "friends," annonymously apprising the current sad states of the once-"popular" girls' lives) & a "friend suggestion" popped up.

The FB computer droids were recommending that Dos "friend" a recent Facebook convert. She let out a slight shriek & summoned me to the family room, where she was multi-tasking at that moment~Facebooking, scanning witchy sites like F* My Life & watching "Real World DC."

"Mom, guess who's on Facebook?"

I, of course, had no clue.

"Daddy."

Well, it was my time to let out a shriek. Or rather, a sharp intake of breath. When quizzed later, Mr. Fairway said he needed to open an account for "work." Networking, or some such deal. And for the record, he has no profile, no profile snap, 9 "friends," & is a "fan" of the place where he golfs.

Some folks just shouldn't go near popular social networking sites, correctamundo?

I snagged today's Superior Snap, BTW, in 1996, my second year into my gig as Mrs. Scribe. The gals are my first newspaper eds. They're all turning 32 this year. And they're my "friends" on Facebook.

Welcome to the New Millenium, where virtual is almost as good as the real thing, right?

Do Not Pass Go...Just Get Outta Here!

I took this shot a couple of days ago, when it looked like our last little bit of ice & snow had refused to make a graceful exit. But after a few days of temps in the 70s, even this dirty, stubborn chunk yielded to the more Spring-like scenery surrounding it.

The thing that irks me, though, is that our gorgeous Mid-Atlantic Spring is fixin' to come to a screeching hault. Ella Numera Dos came home for Spring Break Friday. Apparently some of that nasty, cold Upper Midwest weather is following her tomorrow. Yikes!

But I don't have a care in the world, 'cause Ella y yo are journeying Down South to sunnier climes this week. Mr. Fairway can stay home and deal with Old Man Winter, oui?

AnyWho, it's time for today's Silly Sunday Sweepstakes. You know what to do, correctamundo? Take a gander at this Superior Snap. Then conjur a funny caption for said snap & tippy-type it, real quick-like, in the comments section of this post.

You'll win nothing tangible, this time around, for all your hard work. Just the knowledge that you gave a whole herd of us a good giggle. And what could be better than that?

On, Wisconsin! You'd Better Win Tomorrow...

Time to give a holla back to Ye Olde Home Team.

My NCAA March Madness brackets have pretty much fallen apart, what with Texas, Vandy, Georgetown, Minnesota & Temple losing in the first round. But the 4th-seeded University of Wisconsin, home to Bucky Badger & Ella Numera Una, hung on to win a squeaker yesterday, getting by Wofford (a Number 13 seed) by 4 measly points.

Well, a win is a win, correctamundo? And the Badgers lived to play another day. In fact, they'll face Cornell tomorrow.

I snagged this snap in 1997, when Wisconsin lost, big-time, to Syracuse up at the Meadowlands. But that was football. And we had fun anyway, watching Ella Numera Dos teach the Wisconsin Band a thing or 2 about the Chicken Dance. You know, the Upper Midwest. Home to brats, beer & boys who dance the polka.

Bigtime college basketball fan here. All I gotta say today is:

On, Wisconsin! Beat up on Cornell!!

Skyscraper Jigsaw

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...especially after work's done, the car's washed & the sun is setting on another beautiful, warm Spring day.

This snap works for me on several levels. First off, there's a lot of development in my neck o' the woods. Some is atrociously hideous...butt-ugly, one might say. But some, like the reflecting panes of glass above, have an outward beauty all their own.

The building reflects its neighbor, natch. But it also reflects the cobalt blue sky. And look at all the folks who are working late...you can see their flourescent lites dotted thruout the upper tiers of Building Number 1.

It's almost the weekend, y'all...can I have an "Amen" on that one?

Luck o' the Irish

Put a Tiger in Your Tank

I'm about a month late with the celebration, but wanted to post one more Northern Cali snap. San Fran's Grant Avenue boasts more energy than stuffy ol' DC ever sees...except, of course, when the politicos are yammering about health care & such.

Just in case you didn't know, Chinese New Year falls in mid-February & 2010 is the Year of the Tiger. I was born in the Year of the Horse. According to the Chinese calendar, the horse "is associated with energy and is an indicator of happiness, success, and confidence. The person born in the year of the horse is often spirited, independent, skillful, cheerful and perceptive."

What animal honors your birth year?

A Stroll Down Memory Lane...

After my sojourn at The OBX, I spent yesterday afternoon sorting thru photo files, to avoid grading, I suppose. Came upon a folder of a Northern Cali trip of a few years back, to visit Miss Jo y familia, including my Mom.

Baba, as the kids called her, has since passed on. Ella Numera Una, pictured in this snap with her Grandmama, has aged, from a college froshie to a first-year law student. I captured this cute moment somewhat askew, at the Cliff House in San Fran. The place we dined, Sutro's, is named for the Sutro Baths, which were built overlooking the Pacific in the late 19th-Century & served as a popular spot for rest & relaxation back in the day.

I really miss both of these gals. Unfortunately, I can only visit Mom thru snaps such as these; luckily, I'm going to hike on out to the Upper Midwest in early April for some hanging-out time with the eldest.

It's wonderful to stroll down Memory Lane every so often, isn't it?

Oh, Christmas Tree!

When we journey down here to North Carolina's Outer Banks, we discover the most unusual things. Remnants of beach fire fiestas, the occasional odd sock tan. And, of course, sometimes we get amazingly lucky & come up with beautiful, beachy bling. But this Christmas tree, I'd say, has seen some better days.

I couldn't tell you when this seasonal shrub last hosted holiday revelers, but I do know that it probably has a few tales to tell. Like most bounty spit forth on the golden sands of The OBX, though, I don't think we'll ever hear this bedraggled tree's tale.

I know, I know~an odd selection for our weekly Silly Sunday Sweepstakes. But I have faith that yule come thru. How does it work? Just take a gander at this Superior Snap & conjur a caption. Tippy-type said caption, real quick-like, in the comments section of this post. And that's all there is to it, Scribe Fans! You'll win nothing tangible, this time around. Just the knowledge that you made a whole herd of us giggle. And what could be better than that?

The OBX: Best Burnout Cure Ever

Blowing rain, rough tides & high winds can't deter me from a good time when I'm decompressing on The OBX. I'm getting my laptop power cord this a.m., so I'll be able to write more soon. For now, though, here are my 6 Words, brought to you by Cate, at Show My Face:

Burned out; beach time; feel fine!

Editor's Note, NOON, EST: I finally have my power cord, so I can add a tad to this post. Down here at The OBX, folks aren't supposed to have campfires on the beach, but some inevitably do. This snap captures a tree, roots and all, that apparently had been yanked out of the ground in another locale & then tossed around by the ocean currents. The bottom part of the tree has been burned, probably in a beach fire. I ran down to the beach in a driving rain yesterday to capture a couple of snaps, & this is what I found.

Sun's out today, though, so I'm off to take advantage of Mother Nature's largesse!

OBX ABC's

Reporting today from North Carolina's outstanding Outer Banks. Decided I needed some "time" away from the pressure-cooker of Our Humble High School. Only one problem with this picture~I left my laptop power cord at home, and Mr. Fairway's not journeying down to join me 'til tomorrow. So, must make this brief.

This winter beach looks about the way I feel today. Thank God it's Friday, huh?

Spring Training

Prompt #3: Write a Haiku that describes what you love about an ordinary day.

Snuggled up in the

scabby school gravel; could be

Spring not far behind?

Alternative Assessment

1 Day, 2 Day, Birthday, Seuss-Day!

With apologies to Dr. Seuss, for 2 reasons: a) I forgot The Great Man's Birthday (March 2, last week!) & b) The following epic, scribbled last year, about this time.

Happy 106th Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

One year two year
red year blue year.
Black year blue year
old year new year.

One might have a little star
One might feature a new car
Say! What a lot of years there are.

Yes. Some were red. And some were blue.
Just ask George Bush, and Obama, too!
Some were sad.
And some were glad.
And some years were we

very, very bad?

Why were they sad and glad and bad?
I do not know.
I've asked my Dad.

We learned to read with your silly fish
your zany Whos, and with Horton, too.
We followed the antics
of those who did that:
The Sneetches, The Grinch
and The Cat in The Hat.

So we'd like to wish you
a few days late
the birthday of birthdays,
you just are so great!
'Cause young children still read
to remember your day.
Green Eggs and Ham
just won't go away!

It's hard to believe
you're one hundred and six.
When we read your short books
our lives surely do click!
So, please, take this poem
for what it is worth
we all wanted to remember
the day of your birth!

Butt, What?!?

After acquiring a spring in my step, I'm moving right along to summer. I might have mentioned before that our summer league team has adopted a pirate theme the last several seasons. In this Superior Snap I've tried to capture what happens when Sisterly Love collides with All Hands On Deck.

You Scholastic Scribe veterans know what to do, correctamundo? Take a gander at this snap of my 2 chicas & conjure a caption. Tippy-type your caption, reall quick-like, in the comments section of this post.

And that's all there is to our little ol' Silly Sunday Sweepstakes, Scribe Fans! You'll win nothing tangible~this week, at least~for all your toil & tribulation. Just the knowledge that you've given a whole herd of us a great big giggle. And what could be better than that?

Yes, We've Been Singing Spring Songs!

When my neighbor's stone frog makes an appearance, The Saint Roman Snow Team knows it's time for Spring. Much of our snow has melted & run down the storm drains, on its way to the Potomac River. Yes, we still have an ugly, icy black patch here & there, but I'll take it over what was happening less than a month ago!

Today's Spring ballad is brought to you by Cate, at Show My Face. My 6 words are in the title & my heart is yearning for more scenes like this one!