The Bluebird of Happiness

 

Today in St. Louis is gray and cold, which is typical winter weather here. What a great day to start a blog! I've done some blogposts before, primarily about my family history, but I wanted a blog to more fully incorporate all the things that make me happy: my family, traveling, genealogy, and foremost in my thoughts right now, gardening.

This morning I was doing dishes and saw four or five bluebirds on my deck railing and in my neighbor's tree. I love bluebirds because there aren't many living things that are blue. I could see the one closest to me quite well, and her feathers were all puffed out to keep her warm. She and I have something in common - we are both looking forward to warmer weather. 

I'm planning for 2023 to be a great year. I have already visited my daughter in Orlando, Florida so far. I hope to go again in April and probably September. We have a family beach trip planned for the summer and I can't wait to swim in the waves with the grandkids. My big solo trip this year will be a circle tour of Lake Superior. After spending the past few years in the deserts of the American Southwest, it will be a welcome change. 

My gardening goal is to make better use of the full growing season. I have a good plan to grow some food during the Summer, as always, but I am now going to add Spring and Fall plantings. I have a little problem when it comes to gardening: I'm always hesitant to harvest my veggies because I worked so hard to grow them. That hesitation causes me to wait just a little too long instead of picking things at their peak. I'm going to try to do better with that, too.

My biggest family history goal this year is to work through some of the piles of records and photos I've been stockpiling. Some of it is digital, but most is literally stacks of photos. I also want to transfer my old content to this free platform. I just can't justify paying $600 a year for something I don't use daily.

So here's to 2023!  🌞