1. April is Lawn and Garden Month. On a scale of 1-10 what’s the current state of your lawn and/or garden. (10=a showpiece, 1=send in the professionals). Tell us about any lawn or garden plans you have for this month.

UGH. This question gives me anxiety because my yard use to be amazing. The grass was wonderful and we’d even redone our front planter. But maybe 9 months ago, half of it just started to die. So it’s probably about a 4-5 right now. Our plan is to put down a ton of grass seed in hopes that works. Here’s a pic from 2015.

2. “Many things grow in the garden that were never sown there.”~Thomas Fuller  What does this quote mean to you?

I guess to me this means that even if you had no intention of learning something or meeting someone, etc, it could happen. You just have to be open to it.

3. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about God?

Comfort. I don’t go to church like I used to so my faith has become something other than it was when I was younger. But my belief in a higher power that is there to listen when I need it is very comforting.

4. If we were chatting in person, how would I know if you were nervous?

You’d know if I put my hands in my pockets or applied chapstick too many times. I don’t know why but these are my tells.

5. Do you like the color yellow? Would I find any in your home or wardrobe? Daffodils, tulips, roses, sunflowers, day lily, black eyed susan…which yellow bloom on this list is your favorite?

I do like yellow, though you won’t catch me wearing it. I prefer it in small doses; as an accent, on a house, in flower bouqets on my dining room table. I love tulips the most!

6. Flip flops or bare feet?

Always flip flops! I can’t stand walking around my house without shoes. I don’t know but something about the floor just bothers me.

7. Tell us about any Easter plans, celebrations, or traditions you’ll carry out this month.

Even when I was a kid, Easter never seemed a big deal to me. We hardly ever did egg hunts. My mom did do a nice job on baskets and I believed it was the Easter Bunny for quite a while in my formative years. We typically had to dress in highly uncomfortable clothes and go to church and I’m sad that that is what I mostly remember.

For my kids, we’ve done an egg hunt at our house since Ell was little and I was realizing yesterday that I had better get organized about it. Elliot might not want to but Isaac and Dakota will for sure!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I think I wrote about this earlier but I cannot believe that we – university staff – don’t have any kind of day off until late May. The students had Spring Break but we had to work. It’s a long time to go without a break and especially because Spring semester is very busy. It has its down times too but right now, we’re pretty slammed with admissions and wrapping up the term. I am feeling pretty overwhelmed and think my solution will probably be a quick pedicure on Sunday, if I can find the time. That will be so relaxing!