This past week I allowed myself to slow down and notice the color green, as a symbol of new life.

{The change in weather, a 65 degree increase from Day 1 of Green Week, is an incredible bonus.}

I was able to absorb the turning of the seasons using photography. Ironically, most of my Green Week photographs were taken indoors, featuring everyday items that had been with me all winter long.

For my last “day” I was going to do a morning:: noon :: night style presentation with the green I found but…

Instead, you get a morning :: morning :: morning

Thank you for watching along with me as I embraced some hope and change that were anything but political…even if it was green.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

What a treat to have Ryan, my 4 year old son, as a guest photographer for day 6 of Green Week. Here he is in action…

Spring has sprung. Puddles, ice and mud galore!

Molly loved stomping around in her new rain boots this weekend.

We went splashing around the block as a family and then with some friends (without my camera in tow). I was a bit freed by not carrying the heaviness of my Nikon D100 (old school, I know) around my neck.

By living in the moment I felt a lightness that echoed the feeling of Spring awakening all around me. Okay, to prove I’m not too deep here, I did make Neat Pete captured a few shots with his iPhone camera.

Ryan told me, “Today would be a nice-warm-sunny-spring day to eat outside!” However, I think we’ll skip the dining el fresco because as nice as the sun feels on our faces the ice on the patio chairs would not be so warm on our bottoms. Brrr!

I captured the lost art of letter writing today. Well, I wrote a letter anyhow. Pen to paper. No words or pseudo-words were scrawled out with the exclusive use of my thumbs.

It felt so good to start a greeting with these words, “To My Dearest Uncle…”

My Uncle Wayne, (near the end of his life and his days battling cancer), lives out-of-state in a care facility. The kids and I send a big envelope of well-wishes that included art projects, cards, Scriptures and a family photo.

I hope our snail mail helps give him comfort as he hopes for a pain free Spring.

I feel ready for Spring to burst into my life at any minute. I think Spring got frozen under the sheet of ice on my driveway.

I look for hope in everything but politics. I look to God for a sense of order. I look to family for support and laughter. I look back. I look ahead.

I look for Spring….waiting….

I found refreshment in embracing a positive outlook on my day. Mint tea helped, too.

The “blessings” of my healthy, fun and love-filled life often get swept under the rug unless I reboot my thinking to be less crabby and more refreshed….

• I was late getting my garbage can out to the curb but I did bring up the neighbors empty can
• the grocery clerk at Super Target asked if I needed a cart assistant to help me to my car…and another lady said, “Don’t worry, we’ve all been there” then pointed out my missing glove on the ground as tears were being spewed onto me by my darling little ones.
• Bank trip {sass about not getting a sucker–really it’s like the worst candy ever!}
• Library books returned
• Food unloaded in -2 degree F. weather {threw away meatballs in marinara that was who knows how old from the back of the fridge}
• children fed
• Doctor’s appointment for Molly’s check-up
• Bath, snack, craft for Ryan
• Clean up and fold laundry {Ry said Dad will be so impressed!}
• Dinner made, packed up and dishes washed {Ry called me the best chef ever!}
• Kids tucked in
  
• Google blog reader – read
• Watch the TV show Chuck with Peter

Mint tea, yes, refreshed and less crabby.

I am grateful of my to-do lists for I am able to do them.

Salt and Chocolate blog writer, Mary Beth, has been doing a photographic essay or “noticing” project about the color GREEN called Green Week!

Here I sit, a Minnesotan expecting yet another winter storm today, struggling to find spring-filled relief and inspiration. (cleaning, walking, decorating, shopping, cleaning – did I say that already?)

I will be doing a GREEN week too!

Molly "reading" a book of colors.