OK, it's really Springtime now.

Beautiful days in Maine!  Oh my goodness.  Windows open, flowers blooming, bare feet.
I've always wondered if the first Spring days feel as good in parts of the world that don't have bitterly cold winters.  Us Mainers put in some hard work for the reward of spring.  Around these parts, we are celebrating as we dust off the bikes, put the snow pants away, and say goodbye to fat oil bills ... for a while, anyway.

Sweet Eli waters the daffodils

 
And with Spring comes soccer for Noah.  The Bangor Soccer Club brings together kids from the all the towns that surround Bangor - I believe there are more than 900 little soccer players that converge on the 10 fields by Bangor High School on Sundays.  Noah is thrilled to have a uniform (he is #7) and play REAL games.  In the games, it is 4 vs. 4 - and no goalie in the net.  It's adorable.  And, by the way, I thought he looked all grown up.  Check out these photos that Auntie Lisa took at the game:

Noah says "I'm open! I'm open!"

Hooray!  We just scored a goal!!

After the game, we went to Moe's Original BBQ for some refreshments.  Yum and double yum.  I am sure that it makes my North Carolina family more at peace knowing that there's some BBQ in this neck of the woods.  Even better?  Moe's is owned by one of my childhood friends, Dewey Hasbrouck, who returned to Orono, ME after many years in the south.  Not only do I get a good friend back in town, I get some BBQ as well.

We think this might have to become a Sunday-after-the-game tradition!  In the photo: Redneck Nachos. (I had a big salad the next day)












Back at the house, we are so excited to break ground and get a garden in.  This will be creating garden #3 from ground zero for Gene and me.  Once at 14 Old Mill, then 10 Old Mill - now on Winterhaven Drive.  Last year just didn't feel right without a garden growing in the back.  I love this time of year - I always think about my Dad.  Mark and I would help him make the rows, put some seeds in, and line the rows of tomatoes, peppers and eggplant with black plastic mulch.  I think that I came to love vegetables because the process of planting and watching them grow unfolded before our eyes in the backyard.
My Dad would check out recipes for zucchini, swiss chard, sugar snap peas - we had the chance to sample all kinds of cool veggies.  And of course - they always taste best when they are picked moments before.  I have those cookbooks and I just love seeing the rating system (up to 4 stars) and the comments that my Mom and Dad put in the margins.

I remember Mom and Dad making sauerkraut in crocks in the basement, canning tomatoes, and putting away carrots, potatoes and rutabaga in the root cellar.  Hmmmm.  Gosh, it's been awhile since I've had rutabaga.

The end of April also brings Gene's birthday! We had a wonderful day to have a BBQ and celebrate with friends and family.

Gene gets some help blowing out the candles on his birthday cheesecake (baked by Auntie Lisa, of course)

Spring also brings out the tractors!  In our front yard, the back yard - and the real tractors, too.  Here is Noah checking out Farmer Jake and Farmer Mark spreading poop and plowing the fields. 

Happy Springtime, everyone.