Today was the final full day of winter.

The Old Man held onto his domain until the last: although today was beautifully blue and sunny, there was a brisk north breeze to make those of us who went without coats rue our headiness.

But he cannot keep us in his clutches. Even now, his grasp loosens as the earth warms and brave leaflings burst forth and robins hold court both in the yards during the day and in the trees in the evening.

His final evening was quiet, with the sun setting nearly 20 minutes past seven. His final sunrise will be roughly that same time in the morning. He will need to cede to the new season before tomorrow evening rolls around. He’s been a mild Old Man this year here in the mid-Atlantic (particularly given what many of you have had to deal with), and we’ve been grateful, but we’re ready for him to head south. Bon voyage and see you next December!

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday from That Artsy Reader Girl is one of my seasonal favorites: the top ten books on my spring tbr list. I’m going to ignore the books I’m already in the midst of reading, because clearly there’s the possibility I could finish all of them by tomorrow evening, when spring arrives, right?

Thus:

1. Angie Thomas’ On the Come Up
2. Woman Rebel by Peter Bagge
3. Deanna Raybourn’s A Dangerous Collaboration
4. Circe by Madeline Miller
5. Markus Zuzak’s Bridge of Clay
6. Tiffany Jackson’s Monday’s Not Coming
7. The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang
8. Jessica Townsend’s The Trials of Morrigan Crow
9. Watch Us Rise by Renée Watson and Ellen Hagan
10. Jenny Han’s P.S. I Still Love You

How about you? What are you hoping to read this spring?

I’ve got another full week of living a single life. Sadly, right now, the single life means that I have to deal with bugs on my own, cook something besides carbs, and remember to move the car for street sweeping.

Of course, it also means that I can be as loud as I want (within reason) all night long with all the lights on, if I so desire. No one will eat the last bread product and not leave me anything to toast for breakfast. And I will not have to watch that Nathan Fillion cop show and instead can binge on Acorn tv shows that Rudi has not yet laid claim to being interested in (although probably only because I didn’t ask him).

This week, I’m going to send out some resumes, take a first pass at the taxes, and do some spring cleaning. I’m also going to play volleyball, look for spring flowers (I spotted my first hyacinths this weekend), and spend as much time outside as I can. I may to the movies, catch a concert, or see a friend, but none of those are carved in stone.

I hope you have a great week, too!

I bought some new shoes today. I went into TJ Maxx with a couple things I was hunting for and after I found these cute warm-weather Mary Janes I stopped looking. (Well, okay, I browsed through the dresses, but that’s pretty much mandatory every time I walk into one.) The photo shows them to be a little more grey than they are in real life; I’d say they are closer to periwinkle.

I’m up to the toe on my Smock Madness. I hope to finish before the noon deadline, but either way I’m moving back to my lightning shawl after this!

… you could taste it if your allergies hadn’t given you a stuffy head…

With only a handful of days remaining until spring arrives, the trees across the street have finally bloomed. My window is open. Birds are singing. (Okay, not right this second, but you know what I mean…) Pollen was recorded in record quantities today. Only 4.5 days to go…

If it’s Thursday, it’s time to reflect back on three beautiful things from the past week:

1. Rudi brought home cherry pie for Pi Day.

2. A college friend who has returned home to the Philippines and I exchange snail mail on an annual basis. He wrote this week to ask if my address was still the same, so I know his missive is on the way and that I should practice deciphering cryptic hieroglyphics in order to be able to read his scrawl.

3. I was in a neighborhood I don’t tend to frequent during the day and stopped in at a stationer/chocolatier, since they were open. The owner invited me to sample one of her handmade brigadeiros (sort of a Brazilian truffle) to encourage me to stop back. (It was walnut and was divine. And I will.)

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?