Next up, real leaves

Fill ‘er up. I don’t just look down while checking the spring progress of our backyard. The mid-size bush flanking our shed is budding up nicely, thank you. Soon enough I will be stooping low with our lawn mower underneath its first purple blooms!

Time for your second year outside, fig tree

With a head start. My fig tree whisperer friend John texted with the message that it was time for our fig to move from its first winter shelter inside our second bedroom to the great outdoors of our backyard. Last year this baby started its life, planted carefully by John and lasting its first summer…

Some color up front

Finally, yellow emerges. Thanks to the emergence of a stronger sun and a climb to 60 degrees and above, the big batch of green flanking our front door at last has decided to open to its first peek of yellow brightness. Happy spring, yes.

Meanwhile, a mile over at the kids’ house

Blooms in abundance. It must be the angle of the house. And the sun. So figure my dear wife Karen and I as we contemplate why the flowers in the front garden of terrific daughter Elisabeth and fantastic fiance George Three have opened to our spring just one mile away while the very same plants…

One little winner

Drumroll, answered. Sometimes the first bloom of spring comes with not a loud roar but a cherished whisper. Our loud row in the back garden caressed our initial petals this year, a tiny yellow burst right ahead of its big row. My dear wife Karen and I are expecting the accompanying gang of blooms to…

Good day, sunshine

Hey, we have a yard! Terrific daughter Elisabeth noticed wonderful rescue cat Ava eying George Three doing some cleanup work off the back deck. Definite inside-cat Ava was curious about their new great outdoors? What if, Elisabeth figured … Let me back in! Nobody thinks escape routes are being planned. Knock on wood.

Let’s just hang out

What are we going to do now, Da? Cherished rescue mutt Ellie B likes being retired, too. She’s got a couch, a chair, the floor, her crate, her dog bed, people’s beds, the backyard and me home to keep her company.

Here’s to many more

Sweet and savory. I hope to witness many more Syracuse Mets post-game victory handshake lines this baseball season, my first as a retired guy. I don’t know how many times I’ll snag seats this close to their dugout, though …

Yes, it gets cold for baseball here in April

Protective gear for Syracuse chill. Game time temperature for Tuesday’s Syracuse Mets home opener was 53 degrees. We dressed in layers. For the players came less obvious choices. It’s interesting to note that some obviously feel the chill more than those of us who’ve lived here for, say, 40 years. Ronny Mauricio is our 22-year-old…

I hope these young players will shine in New York

Catching, on. Francisco Alvarez carries many expectations for a 20 year old. Millions of New York Mets fans hope that he’ll smack hundreds of home runs wearing the blue and orange in the not-so-distant future. Put the pitch right here. By the way, they also want him to manage the game for their star collection…