when I feel the pull.

I'm usually too lazy busy to walk to get my coffee fix, but in late Spring, in the heart of blossom time I make the effort.

This morning I noticed an unusually high number of blossoming trees in various shades of violet, plum,  thistle, violet, heliotrope, magenta, mulberry, indigo and Palatinate. It would be one thing to see two, or three, or four purple blossoming trees...but 733?

And why purple? Why not orange? Or yellow?

I think Vivianne must be a Purple Lady, you know, one of those eccentric types who loves big hair and purple dresses. She wears lots of perfume and keeps an impressive assortment of "guest soap" in the bathroom. Purple Ladies are my favorite. I aspire to be one some day.

Until then, while the blossoms are here, I thought I would share one of my favorite purple ladies photo from my morning walk. Aren't camera phones nifty?

I can't resist the lure of the tangled wisteria and the grand eastern red buds. I hear them whisper my name through their gnarled branches. "Come closer," they say. "Something beautiful is down the road." They beckon and I follow, often to places where time has stood still.  where families are long gone and their previous lives are all scattered about, covered in dust and webs.  There's so many, it's hard to believe.  I love each one, the next one even more. 

and because I do, I will continue to follow when I feel the pull.

just sayin'.

 avocado and shrimp salad

2 large avocados (ripe)
1/2 cup cooked chopped shrimp
2 tablespoons of sour cream
2 tablespoons of mayo
Juice from half of a lemon
a couple pinches of fresh dill
Pinch of paprika

Directions:
Mix shrimp, mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, dill, and paprika; add salt if shrimp is unsalted.
Half the avocados and remove their pits.
Separate the mixture into 4 equal portions and place them on top of the avocado halves.
Tip – adjust the amount of sour cream, mayo, and seasoning to your liking.