Cardigans and Springtime

For my fiftieth post, I would like to recognize two things that I love: cardigan sweaters and springtime.  They are not incompatible, for on a brisk spring day a cardigan is the perfect companion to keep you warm when you need to be warm and offer ventilation when you need to cool off.  This duck has just checked the mailbox, or perhaps is on his or her way to check the mailbox.  The tulips and daffodils are in bloom, and cheery cumulus clouds float overhead.  The grass is green (you will have to imagine) and the sky is blue, and all is right with the world.  The duck has a pipe, since pipes go wonderfully well with cardigans, though this is a bubble pipe in lieu of a real one, out of concern for health and longevity. And here is a link to a fine poem about springtime by Gerard Manley Hopkins.  If the link stops working, just search for his name and "spring" and it should turn up.  Here's to the beauty in the world, and the fresh newness of spring!

Postcards

I didn't send any postcards today, but I thought of how great it feels to receive them, and to send them to friends and family when you're traveling.  I was reminded how important it is to stay in touch, and how hard it is to do that consistently with people I don't see all the time.  I also love the kitsch of postcards.  Because there's not much room on the back to write, the picture you choose for the front becomes an integral part of your message.  You can be sassy, sincere, goofy, informative, or pretty much any way you please.  It's totally great to get an email from someone you haven't talked to in a long time, but there's something extra special about getting a physical postcard in the mail.