Spring has sprung and a blogfest is coming

The poppies are here! The poppies are here! They don't call California the Golden State for nothing. Well, there was the Gold Rush, sure, but our state flower, the California poppy, is a vivid splash of bobbing, waving yellow and orange. They are hard to find when Mother Nature has been miserly with rain. Not this year.

I found this patch while on a walk on a windy day. They danced so much and the sun was so brilliant that I think it makes the photo slightly surreal.

I expect the poppy fields in the Antelope Valley will be carpeted--hill after hill of orange poppies and yellow goldfields. It's seems like magic when it happens, but it's really just the right recipe of sun and rain. It's still too early to know, because the poppy reserve is at higher, colder elevation than where I am.

And, as promised, this is also a spring of spectacular green.

I found this patch of moss nestled in the shadowy recesses of a boulder. In Southern California that is a small miracle. It reminds me of Ireland, and they don't call it the Emerald Isle for nothing. (conscious repetition, here)

That brings me to Jon Paul's Drunk at First Sight blogfest.

I can't resist this fun play on all the lovey-themed blogfests of late. And, um, Irish, you know. So sign up on the widget and write something related to St. Patrick's Day, Ireland, pubs and relationships. His rules are loose. Just post something by next Wednesday, so we can all indulge in a little writerly wearing of the green.

And, finally, a big thank you to two sunshiney, stylish sweethearts who bestowed two new awards upon me.

Thank you, Tamika at The Write Worship, for the Stylish Blogger Award. Tamika has the most beautiful smile and attitude! I'm supposed to share five things: 1) I'm in two fantastic crit groups. 2) I have long fingers and big feet (sigh). 3) I can't travel without a book. 4) I eat chocolate. Every. Day. 5) I talk to plants.

And I love the sun-is-out rainboots of the You Are My Sunshine Supportive Comments Award given me by Julie Dao at Silver Lining. Visiting Julie is always a treat, for her writing and the music she shares.

And, I got another, but, really! J.B. Chicoine on her other blog gave me a repeat of the Creative Blogger liar award. I'm all out of lies, and my nose needs to shrink. But since Bridget creates gorgeous paintings, full of natural light, I bestow the Stylish Award upon her. And, in addition, she gets My Sunshine for being a shiney-maker of comments. Smiles all around.

That's all, folks, except to say I managed to get my first chapter polished, a synopsis written and application off for a grant this week. I don't know how good any of it is, but I met the deadline and I'm still standing, so I count that as win.