O is for Outside (A-Z Blogging Challenge)

Today is day 15 of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. The challenge began with A on April 1 and continues the alphabet throughout the
month, except on Sundays. My theme for the month will be this blog’s tagline: life, books, and all things bookish, so you can expect a little bit of this ‘n that. I’m still reading, though, and I’ll add reviews whenever possible. Thirty days of blogging is a huge commitment for me, but I’m looking forward to meeting and greeting new blog friends.

Today’s word: outside

Ten days ago I went to a baseball game in the snow. We drove home in sleet and saw at least a dozen cars involved in accidents.

Today … not so much. Saturday’s high temperature was 79. Sunday and Monday the forecast is the same. (And man oh man will my junior students be playing hooky!)

When it’s that warm in April, we Michiganders get positively giddy. After nearly five months of temperatures below forty, shoveling, boots, s lush, and road salt, we don our flip flops, put out the deck furniture, and grill. We rake the flower beds and lawn. Hang clothes on the line. And a few brave souls even put out a pot of annuals. (We know it’s too early, we know we’ll have another frost, but still.)

So we’re outside–by my estimation nearly all of the 193,792 residents of My Town are out walking their dogs, pushing strollers, tossing a baseball, or riding their bikes after they’re finished with that yard work. We went to buy groceries and threw a Spiderman watering can in the cart for little Jo to play with and hubby bought a new trellis for our re-located clematis.

We sat on the deck and watched the birds at the feeder. The finches are gold again and the Red-winged blackbirds are trilling and chattering. The orioles and hummingbirds are due back in a couple weeks, and I’ve got nectar ready for the hummers and grape jelly for the orioles.

If you stop by and knock on the door or ring the bell and we don’t answer, just come around to the back. We’re on the deck or working in the yard. The ball game is probably on the radio. But you can be darn sure we’re outside.