A post in pictures

I've managed to accumulate some pics, and thought I'd do a post using the pics as update prompts!

April showers bring....Well, technically that's a late March shower, as viewed from the front step of the apartment.  We've had an up and down spring so far, with some pretty good thunderstorms rolling through.  During house hunting drama we had an entire weekend of rain, then back to cool days and frosty nights, but now were back to sun and heat!

Warm weather earlier in March along with rains brought on spring blooms in a HUGE way around here.  Can't deny it, Blacksburg is BEAUTIFUL in spring!!

(This is right outside my lab building :-)

We're well beyond cherry blossoms and daffodils now.  The trees are really starting to leaf out - you can watch the line of green creeping up the side of the mountains just outside of town.  It's pretty cool, and something I always loved to watch happen on the Blue Ridge back in Crozet.

With the return of warm weather the last two days (as in 80* +  weather) another spring tradition played out:

"The Great Hair Removal Day"

The pictures never do it justice!  Especially on the pups...although the most dramatic effect on them

is a tactile one.  Before clipping, petting them is just like petting a soft, fluffy dog (duh...metaphor fail).  After clipping, petting them is like rubbing a marine's head!  They've been nicknamed the "crew-cut pups" post-clipping.  Both are very happy and were extra-romping on our walk this evening.  Haley has gotten so used to the clipping that she just lays down in the grass now, and I have to drag her around to do each side.  If anyone else has read the Hunger Games (or seen the movie) then you'll know what I mean when I say I feel like her personal prep-team!  Zack is nervous about it like he's nervous about car rides and baths - thinks he's going to die the entire time then is jumping out of his skin with happiness when he realizes he survived.  Sammy took his butchering in stride...not exactly thrilled, but not caring much either as long as we still pet him.  His Pop-eye forearms always crack me up!

And finally, we've got some help on the home front:

Meet the "Happy Home Buddha".  He was sent to me by my wonderful Godmother to "help us find a happy home."  How sweet is that??  It's also a bit hilarious due to the nature of my relationship with my Godmother.  Her purpose as godmother, according to my parents, was to instill in me a love of Sugar Island (the island I grew up on) and....to teach me to drink beer.  I think I'm remembering that second one right.  Yeah, my family isn't so big on religion or spirituality.  Definitely big on family parties and beer.  (Side note- It's no wonder I married a home-brewing man, and that my family loves him!)

 So it tickled my funnybone that at the age of 31, I am receiving the first spiritual guidance from my Godmother in the form of a garage-sale lucky buddha statue.  This is why I love her!!  And to give her full credit, she also listened to me rant for at least 1hr about the house hunting drama explained in the last post.  

Maybe she actually is part saint!!

More updates soon :-)