I an responding to Susan's Newsletter forum about spring.
Where I am, in Santa Cruz, California we are definitely experiencing Spring.
I have been pondering my garden. So far we have had a very dry winter. This has a large influence on my deciding to plant. While we anticipate another rain in the next couple of days, I have yet to decide whether to plant or not. It's quite possible we will have a water shortage this year, which would make investing the money and the time in a garden all for naught.
This is ok for me though. I live in the gold belt where some of the most delicious organic produce is grown, so I'd rather they have the water so everyone can benefit, not just me.
My celebration of spring occurs every day when I go for a walk with my dogs. I am lucky enough to live in one of the few areas where dogs are allowed off leash. While they are happily sniffing away at whatever delicious smells they have found, I poke around and see the newest plants that have sprouted. Over the past month the watercress has been growing rather prolifically down by the creek, so I have been picking bunches and bunches. Watercress in my salad everynight. Yum! I have put away pints of cream of watercress soup in the freezer to be enjoyed, chilled, later in the heat of summer. Then there are the wildflowers. Over the years I have learned a lot about the flora that grows locally. There are some that bloom only for one week - I enjoy those where they grow and leave them. There are others that bloom for weeks, even months so I have the beauty of vases of wildflowers to adorn my home. I love flowers, and prefer them alive in a plant or bush, but I always have a vase of fresh ones on my dining room table. This is the time of year where I don't need to purchase any from Trader Joe's, so I donate the money I have saved buying flowers to the Homeless Garden Project, a non-profit organization that grows organic produce and flowers, utilizing the labors of volunteers and homeless persons. They devote the profits from the sale of the produce to the local homeless shelters.
Susan, I am glad you shared your hugs - I try to do so wherever I go too, Peace Rallies are one place they get to be shared in abundance!
Peace and Love to all!

Mai