Archive for March 12th, 2009

My Favorite Spring Plants

Hyacinth My absolute favorite. Beautiful little blossoms and smells heavenly.

Tulips So regal and proud.

Creeping Phlox A great groundcover and such dainty little flowers.

Sweet Alyssum A great spreading perennial with beautiful white blossoms.

Lilac I don’t see them much down here but up north, they are everywhere and have the most beautiful scent.

Forsythia So beautiful when it’s blooming and especially when planted in a mass.

Tulip Tree I know this is technically a magnolia but I’ve always called it a tulip tree. They are blooming now here in South Carolina and are just gorgeous!

Daffodil I especially love the bright yellow ones with the dark orange center. They are just so cheerful.

Bradford Pear Tree They are so beautiful when in bloom.

My son is in Cub Scouts and this weekend is the big Pinewood Derby. I made the mistake of going to this chaotic event last year and all I can say is it’s a big gym full of testosterone. A sea of men, boys and cars trying to outdo each other with a little wooden car. It sounded like most Scouts and their Dads spend months perfecting their car, doing practice races, weighing it (it has to be exactly a certain weight but I don’t know what that is), and designing the winning pinewood derby car. It’s serious business. Colin and his Daddy did spend a lot of time on the car last year and it ended being a decent little car. All I remember about it is that they glued a bunch of foreign coins on the top of it. He didn’t win any of his heats but he did come in second each time which was enough for him. He has spent the past year telling everyone he came in second at the Pinewood Derby which technically is not the case but hey… he’s proud and I’m not going to burst his bubble.

Fast forward to this year…. my husband has been travelling every week on business for months and the Pinewood Derby car has not really been in the forefront of his thoughts. The race is in two days, we have no car and my son is determined to be there and for that, we need a car. I’ve tried all kinds of tricks and bribes to talk him out of going to the Race, but he hasn’t fallen for any of them. Dang kid… So my job today is to go try to buy a Pinewood Derby Car that is already made since I have no idea how to operate a lathe. The Den Leader told me I need a lathe to make the car and to be honest, not only do I not know how to operate one, I’m pretty sure I don’t even know what it is. He did say that I could go “buy” one already made (although the tone of voice made it obvious that this is certainly not how it should be done) and just decorate it. Now decorating is something I know how to do! Fingers crossed…

My little boy will be at his Pinewood Derby this Saturday hoping to win with the car that he made with his mom. I will be reminding him that morning that it’s not really whether you win or lose, it’s whether you have fun! And I will be praying the wheels stay on. God help us.