THOMAS ACRES

Spring in Missouri is gorgeous. The Goldfinches turn from winter drab to canary yellow. Bunnies no bigger than your fist romp on the grass. Dogwoods sneak their flower in before any leaves on the trees, and the Canadian geese start their nest building for this year's family on the pond. Add a few human transplant touches like lilacs and azaleas and you have heaven on earth.

"Summertime and the Livin' is easy...." Between the fishing, swimming, gardening and wild berry picking, the summers are almost too short to enjoy all there is to do. It can get a bit toasty sometimes, but it is never to hot to sit on the front porch swing and just think about it....

If you don't get "bonked" by an acorn or hickory nut falling on your head, you can walk through the trees and see colors too beautiful to describe. The squirrels are running around with their cheeks puffed out with nuts for winter storage. Helping mother nature distribute wild flower seeds is a favorite pastime this time of year.

You know Larry didn't contribute to this one because this is his "Winter of Discontent." But Colorado memories resurface for Wanda. It is a beautiful time; the animals are at their best in full coats of fur. When a heavy for freezes on the trees and grass, it is truly a sight to behold. It would be an untruth to say that we don't look forward to the first flowers of spring though...