Travelogue: Signs of Spring from South to North

Lilies blooming in our Florida yard mid-April 2015

Hello and welcome to the J.Q. Rose blog. Yes, we are back home in beautiful Michigan. The countryside is just waking up to spring. We arrived to sunny skies and warm temperatures (about 70 degrees F/21 C). Of course we won't mention the rain, cool temps, and  snowflurries forecast for mid-week. We are delighted with this rare treat.

The Snowbirds-Author J.Q. Rose and hubby, Gardener Ted

We had an uneventful 1300 mile trip from Florida to the North country. And that's the way we like it!

Our route home from Florida to Michigan
Find lots of maps at mapofusa.net

We left lush, green Florida landscapes and colorful flowers and the beaches teeming with sun-loving visitors. We knew we'd pass through spring in its various stages as we drove north. Take a peek at the signs of spring we spotted on our journey home. 

Please remember these photos were shot "on the way" north. Yes, through the windshield of our 70 mph speeding pick-up truck. You may have to squint to focus in on some of them!

We had to say good-bye to our Florida neighbors and their beautiful geraniums. 

Nickajack Lake picnic area near Jasper, Tennessee.
The park has a lovely campground.
Can you imagine how busy this place must be in the summer? 

I bet there are a LOT of fish in this lake.

On this trip we discovered the annual National Cornbread Festival 
which is held in South Pittsburgh, TN, just a few miles from Nickajack Lake.
The Lodge Cast Iron factory is located in this small town.
This company is world-renowned for their quality cast iron cookware.
Hey, if you have no plans this weekend, April 25-26,
you can attend the cornbread festival!! 

You can see we are in leafless country,
but with buds showing on the trees and green grass growing.

Yes, we endured traffic congestion in some of the cities we passed through.

And lots of construction!! The orange barrels kind of ruined the scenic areas!

Redbud trees, a sure sign of spring in Tennessee.

This flowering tree graced out motel room in Indiana.
Gorgeous yellow forsythia were also blooming.

The farmers are getting ready to plant, definite signs of spring in Indiana.

At last, we are near home. All the fruit orchards are nothing but branches and trunks.
No signs of life.

Notice the sparse green grass and no leaves on the trees. But spring will come.

The promise of spring is alive and well in our yard.
The hyacinths are growing and the tulips are budding.

Daffodils are a welcoming sight. They just make my heart happy with their bright yellow blossoms. Pure spring joy.
# # # #

So how far are you into spring? Flowers, leaves or no leaves, or are you in the part of the world just entering fall? What IS your favorite season of the year?

Be sure to fill in the "Follow by E-mail" box so you won't miss a blog post on the J.Q. Rose blog. Thank you!