Spring Forward

The clocks moved yesterday here in the UK to British Summer Time. Usually I'm dreading moving to daylight savings (as we refer to it in the US) because it means I lose an hour of sleep. However, me not having any real set schedule, especially now that we're on spring break, means that that doesn't phase me at all.

On the contrary -- having the sun not start setting until quarter to 8 in the evening is now glorious. Such a reward for getting through winter and the sunset at quarter to 4.

So with it being a glorious day, I present more pictures of the beauty that is Scotland in the spring time.








Fun time change fact: Americans remember the time change by the saying 'Spring Forward, Fall Back' (moving the clocks ahead one hour at the start of Daylight Savings Time and the moving the clocks back one hour at the end, in reference to the seasons in which these time changes happen and using the seasons as verbs to indicate movement). This phrase causes great confusion to Brits and they looked at us like we're bonkers when we tried to explain it. The confusion comes from the fact that the season is referred to as Autumn here, and not Fall. So, you can't really 'Autumn Back'...

In Bloom

When I bought the daffodils, they are all still in the bud, with only the hope that they'll bloom and I didn't waste £1 on blades of green. And if they do bloom, I don't know if they'll be yellow or white or the white ones with the super orange centers... I just didn't know.

They didn't keep me waiting long.



Again, like I said before, how anyone can frown while looking at daffodils is beyond me.

Happy Birthday to Me

I had my birthday earlier in the week. While some people enjoy a big blowout, celebrating for days on end or what have you, I prefer it more low key on the day. It might have something to do with the fact that each time I've tried to do something major ON my birthday, something wrong happens. Usually something very wrong. So, I've taken it as the universe's suggestion that it's cool to do something birthday related before or after the actual day, but on my birthday, just take to slow and relax.

So I did just that.

What did I do on my birthday? Well, I slept in. Then went and had tea with Rachel, as she was out and about in town. And because it was a gorgeous day, I decided to walk to Morrison's for the fresh air. It being my birthday, I needed to treat myself to something.



How about some daffodils? Nothing screams 'welcome Spring' like daffodils. They are hands down my favorite flower because they start to bloom around my birthday. And just look at them -- you can't frown with daffodils.



And I couldn't resist fuchsia chrysanthemums.

But maybe I should be at least a little productive with my day.



I know -- I'll do some laundry. Nothing screams birthday festivities like laundry. But, if I do laundry, I'll earn a snack, from...



The awesome birthday box of American candy goodness that my parents sent me. Including another amazing March tradition that I thought I was going to miss out on... Girl Scout cookies. Oh yes, they mailed me Tagalongs all the way from the States. And they taste so good.

And of course, during all of this, I have atop my head the decoration that splits this apart from any other normal grocery store/laundry/snack kind of day.



Well I had to have some sort of festive something, didn't I? Yet another wonder from the birthday box.

So it was a quiet day, albeit a slightly productive day. And now I'm another year older, and another year wiser apparently. And while people kept asking 'oh which birthday is it?' and I respond with a number higher than the 22 or 23 most of these kids around me have, as I inch closer to 30 I have to admit... I like the me at closer to 30 better than the me at closer to 22. I like my number, and I think it's pretty awesome.

Just like my headband.

Spring Has Sprung

Spring isn't my favorite season (Fall holds that honor) but spring comes in a close second. I love to garden, and I love flowers, and the best part about my birthday being early in March is that it's at the same time that the flowers are just starting to peek out of the ground and spread a bit of color.






And while it's not terribly much warmer, the sun was out for most of the past few days making it at least feel brighter. And those happy little flowers from above made the walk to the Morrison's in the sunshine even brighter.

I didn't have anything I needed at the grocery store today, but it was a good destination for a walk out in the sunshine. I don't trust that the sun will stick around, so I best make the most of it while I can.

Not that I don't trust Scottish weather, but...

I may have to pick up some daffodils the next time I'm there, though. You can't have March without daffodils.