Spring = Hope

Spring and all that comes with it gives me so much to hope for and look forward to!
Right on cue, the daffodils disappeared and the first tulips started blooming on March 21st.  This year we have purples and pinks and reds.  There are buds everywhere, and blossoms on every fruit tree.
And it's GREEN all around!
 I got to sit and enjoy the green and the quiet yesterday, because I was driving the Camry (308,000 miles and still mostly humming along) and, on this country road between Templeton and Atascadero, the engine totally quit (we are hoping that it is a timing belt; that would be pretty simply fixable), leaving me stranded in a nice shady spot, right beside an olive orchard.  While I was waiting for my knight in a shiny silver truck to come and rescue me, I got to sit here and watch birds, ground squirrels, and the trees in the breeze.  Not a bad deal!  Then, he handed me the keys to the truck, and said, "You go ahead and finish the shopping, and then pick me up at the mechanic.  I'll wait here for the tow truck."  What a great guy!!
March Madness is currently in full force, and Jamey and I are right up at the top of the pool, thanks to our alma mater making a great run into the Sweet 16.  Makes me hopeful that one of us will see victory this year.  Or, even better, that the Cats will take it all!  I even have hope that the Pittsburgh Pirates will win the World Series this year!  Of course, the season hasn't started yet, but they are having a pretty good spring, and are not yet mathematically eliminated from the postseason....
Jason turns 16 in a week or so, and is hopeful that he will soon get his driver's license, so I in turn am hopeful that he can do some of my errands for me on his way to and from school.  And Grace, a couple of weeks after that, is turning 19 (holy cow, how did that happen?) and she just pretty much gives me hope constantly, because she is just so stinking capable and generally grown-uppish.
And then there are all of the babies making appearances in the neighborhood....twin goats around the corner, baby chicks everywhere, little lambs (my personal favorites), and this miniature horse baby that was born the day before this photo was taken.  He is about the size of a medium dog;  currently a little bit smaller than Max-the-Dog.  He is a mini mini horse.  And because my neighbor loves old Hollywood, she named him Valentino, of course.

Ah, the potential of everything this time of year!