Get Out

As spring warms the air, the flowers start to bloom, and the days grow longer, I love to be outdoors soaking in the warmth of the sun and feeling it on my face.

1. Garden: Watching the garden come awake, the garlic comes first, then potatoes make an appearance. It's time to plant peas, carrots, beets, radish and lettuce. Soon we'll be able to make freshly cut salad.

2. Walk: Early in the season I enjoy walking to the garden as there isn't much to carry home. Later in the season I'll wish for a wagon to haul the harvest home. Maybe that's something I should look into.

3. Picnic: We enjoy eating out of doors, whether the patio or an impromptu gathering at the garden. Going up one of the nearby canyons and finding an open picnic spot is another fun way to spend an evening. The birds will serenade us all through dinner.

4. Read (or Knit) (or Sew): Sitting on the patio with a good book while the wind chimes tinkle and the clouds roll by, is my idea of heaven.

5. Visit: While in the garden we visit with other gardeners and, at home, we'll visit with our neighbors. When friends come for a visit we'll serve drinks on the patio and revel in the fresh air after being cooped up in the house all winter. Yay, spring!

6. Watch the sunset: Sometimes we'll drive out to the Great Salt Lake, or find a place to view from a higher vantage point, but often we walk to the school yard next door, which gives us a full view of the changing sky.

7. Watch the sunrise: I step out my back door and watch the sky turn from pink to gold. It's easy, if I get out at just the right moment.

8. Drive through the canyons: The canyons are minutes from our door and I love the drive up any one of them just for the fun of it. I know Big Cottonwood like the back of my hand and love the twists and turns, the beautiful sights of rising peaks, and rushing waters of the stream below.

9. Watch spring awaken the earth: The crocus have been coming up in waves. Wave one came through a couple of weeks ago and wave two is happening now. I have white blossoms with purple bases, lavender blossoms, and pale yellow blossoms that look so delicate and sweet. I hadn't realized I'd planted so many and I'm very pleased to see they are so lovely.

10. Just be: One of my favorite things to do is look up into the blue sky, watch clouds come and go, or the jets and their contrails float by. The best time to be outdoors is now before the heat of summer and while the sun is bearable and enjoyable. One day may offer snow, rain and chill, but the next day could be warm and glorious. Take time to enjoy the sampling of all mother nature has to offer. 

 Ten on Tuesday brought to you by the inimitable Carole! 

Comments

[karen]

Love your list! I love nothing more than to sit and watch the clouds go by.

[Bonny]

Your garden sounds like the perfect venture; sharing the hard work is much better than weeding by yourself. I always love your photos, but you may have outdone yourself with these!

[Donna]

I can imagine the beautiful sunrises and sunsets out there!

[Kwizgiver]

Your photos are glorious!

[Patty]

What a beautiful post Margene! So much good to see.

[Carole]

You live in such a beautiful area, your outdoors is incredibly special!

[AsKatKnits]

Fantastic photos, Margene! Your outside neighborhood is truly spectacular!

[Tracy Batchelder]

Food always seems to taste a better in a beautiful outdoor setting. I need to remember this and eat outdoors more.

[claudia]

What a great post! Your spring is alot further along than my spring.

[Vicki]

Happy Tuesday Margene! We're getting closer and closer to regularly enjoy being outside, doing the things we love!! So close...

[Kym]

Ahhhh! Your post is just relaxing and refreshing! One of the things I love best about Salt Lake City is the proximity to the mountains --- that y'all can just run up for an evening picnic. (That's just grand!) Love your photos -- love your outside! XO

[Manise]

Wonderful post and photos! Our spring lags behind yours by weeks.

[Jo]

Changeable weather--could it be that you live in the Rocky Mountains?

[Mary]

I think everything is better outside... and this time of year Nature is putting on her best show. what a joy to watch.

[karen]

I love your last one "just be". That is wonderful. I will sit outside and do nothing and just soak in the sun :)

[Honoré]

I shall have to visit this post frequently...the photos are gorgeous and I love all your reasons for being outside "in the nature" as my niece once put it when she was about 4 years old.
There's a pretty neat folding cart that costs about $50 you might consider for hauling your veggies...
Cheers~

[Chris]

Thanks for sharing your list and blue sky pictures - I barely remember what blue sky looks like.

You should definitely look into a wagon or a push cart of some sort (my elbows and shoulders would do better with pushing than pulling).

[Laurie]

You have more than we do, by far. So lovely! Our forsythia hasn't done anything yet.

[Gale Zucker (she shoots sheep shots)]

An excellent list! I am so glad you get out and enjoy where you live, fo the selfish reason that ever since I started following your blog (like, a decade ago??) I've loved seeing your mountains and sky and canyons-- so beautiful and also so 180 degrees different from the view around here.
Have a good weekend!

[katieTBD]

I love the photo of the sunrise especially!