120

A happy bowl full of all the baked-together kinds of things that one might think of as a Tex-Mex taco night, because it is still kind of cold and blustery and there's just about nothing that refried beans, tortillas, and cheese can't fix.

119

For my Easter/Mother's Day/anniversary gift this year, Ken took me, Dean, and Dean's roommate-to-be out to see my beloved Chicago Cubs play the Boston Red Sox. There were more Cubs fans in Fenway than I have ever seen outside of Wrigley Field (seriously, I would say that about a third of the sell-out crowd was wearing Cubbie blue), and some fans even brought the W to fly when we won the game. Just a grand day out.

118

Realistically a few weeks away from being out here, but getting ready and counting down days until warmth and sunshine are more than fleeting moments.

117

Roasted cauliflower soup with basil oil and garlic oil, probably made with more cream than I would dare to use at home, and bringing me all the happiness.

116

115

Dean's quilt is now bordered, and basted! I have pushed through these less-than-fun steps, working on an unfamiliar and overwhelming scale, and am now trying to move ahead with steady progress in the hand quilting. My goal is to have it finished by winter; I may ultimately try to quilt it more densely but for now am planning out waves going across with about 6 or 7 inches between rows.

114

I've been gifted a fig tree! In this climate, it will need to stay in a pot (although once this recovers a little bit, it will need to be replanted into a larger one) so that it can be brought in for the winter. I hope I can live up to the responsibility of giving this the care it needs and see it through to producing fruit; I'm grateful and a little overwhelmed.

113

Solidly in the "not now, not ever" category. As liberal as I am in my chip consumption, and as much as I do love a plate of biscuits and gravy every now and then, some things were just not meant to be.

112

111

The "Happy Earth Day" display made by our dining services staff at school. Because cupcakes.

110

109

Just don't.

108

Dean heads out this morning with Ken, back to school to finish out his year. Cheered me up no end to have him home, and just a few more weeks to go.

107

So one reason to live in Massachusetts, if you were looking for one, would be that we get an extra holiday every year -- happy Patriots' Day. Although one can, indeed, mark the day by going to see a re-enactment of the start of the Revolutionary War, most people kind of forget that that's the reason for the holiday. Most around here think of it as "Marathon Day," because Boston has long taken advantage of the holiday to stage the big race. Traditionally, one comments on whether or not it's a good day for the race given the forecast; today's cool, cloudy conditions definitely make a good race day. Also a good day to hang out and relax and eat leftover chocolate cake.

106

Easter morning. Is it time for chocolate cake, yet?

105

Two things have conspired to save Easter, or rather to make Easter at all. Dean made a last-minute decision to come home for the weekend, and therefore I made a last-minute decision to put some effort into a celebration. (But in terms of this seemingly cannot fail recipe, "effort" is really overstating things.)

104

Better. I didn't expect much from the bulbs this year, after the intense extremes of weather had them up and out in February and then snowed under in March. But a few stalwarts figured out how to get what they needed and give what they could. Hmmm. Maybe that's us, maybe that's what we need to do, to keep doing.

103

(Sigh.)

102

Nestled.

101

Just warm enough, finally, for an after-work beverage out in the sunroom. Well, yes, I still have my jacket on. No, no it's not a good idea generally, nor my habit (generally) to have a beer when I walk in the door at the end of the day. But when it does seem like a good idea, then I just go with that.

100

This year I have a new distaste for the very idea of "100 days," but nonetheless here it is. 100th of this year, when a "50/50" view seems overly generous.

99

98

Hope, still.

97

A favorite corner at school, showing some signs of a blue sky at last. (Bathtub is filled with pillows, and makes a gorgeous spot to sink in and dream quietly.)

96

95

Contain them, if you can.

94

Biggest raindrops ever; Dean's 19th birthday. Cold, wet, and weird not to be with my boy on his birthday. Will it ever be spring?

93 (for reals)

Surprisingly, this photo posted. Are my troubles over? We'll see....

92

91

We decided to stay home today.