WELL I DID THINK IT WAS SPRING

After 2 days in the high 60's and 1 in the 70's, I thought for sure it was springtime in Ohio. I was wrong.

Didn't have a chance to write this weekend as it was very busy. Pat drove over from PA Friday early evening and she and I got up early Saturday to drive to Kidron to check out Lehman's hardware. It has become very, very touristy but we still like it. At one time they catered mostly to the Amish, selling oil lamps (and parts), oil stoves, oil powered appliances and, a variety of farm implements, but now carry a wide selection of this and that and a whole lot of "stuff" for the tourists. My main intent on driving the hour plus drive was to get a clothes line like Pat had purchased a couple of years ago. One of those that have several lines on a central post (almost umbrella like)that you can spin around and that you don't have to leave up all the time. We were doubtful that it would be possible without a lot of expense involved after Pat had seen it in their latest catalog, but things turned out good all the way around and managed to get one that I could afford on my budget. I was thrilled. I love to hang my clothes out and hadn't used a clothes dryer for years until I moved to Ohio. Now this summer I will be able to continue to hang my laundry out to dry. We also managed to pick up a couple of things for Sally's B'day which is in June, but because she is difficult to buy for got them when we spotted them. I don't imagine she would ever get on the computer to read our blogs as she doesn't even pick up her email and I probably couldn't tell you the last time she was on the computer, but I'm not going to mention what we bought her. We were both very proud of ourselves though. Sunday the 3 of us drove over to Lima to meet a friend and to attend the Home and Garden Show. It was a bit of a let down though being nothing at all like the shows I have attended in the past. Even so we had a good time and after nice brunch, stopped at Pellini's Greenhouse. I managed to pick up a few purple and a few yellow viola's to plant in front of the tulips in order to have some color when the tulips fade. Both days were cold and too miserable to be outside but perfect for shopping. We returned late afternoon with our treasures and Pat decided to stay the night and drive home this morning.

I was afraid that I might lose the tulips overnight because the temperature dropped drastically and a freeze was forecast. As you can see by the photos I took this afternoon when I got home from work, they seem to have managed fine. They are so beautiful and the hyacinths have started blooming. I still can't smell them, but I didn't want to get down on my hands and knees to test it out. The scent should be stong enough in a couple of days. The weather by the way is supposed to be warming up quite a bit, but the sisters say it is not the end of it though. They have been known to have frost as late as the end of May.

Everyone be sure and wish JA a happy birthday on the 19th. I can't believe she is going to be 37. I still think of her as a little girl and she probably doesn't like it that I still treat her like that. I will try to control myself in the future. I talked to her for a few minutes yesterday, but she was on her way out to a friend's house for spaghetti. I still think of her as she is pictured in the photo below. What a little

cutie pie she was eh?

And so spoiled. But we love her. Thirty-seven, I can't believe it. This is what makes me feel old. These kids just don't stop growing. Now she has a daughter of her own. I wish her mother were here to see it, but I imagine, or I like to imagine that maybe she knows. Well, I'm going to call it a day and worry whether I should try to cover up my tulips and new plants tonight. A friend told me that she didn't think it made a difference either way, but I would sure like to protect them. I'll check back when I have something more to say. Love