It's freakin spring and I can't believe it. Was it not just a few weeks ago that I got hit with 20 inches of snow? HA! And now I'm looking for ways to cool down. It's surreal that it's fureal. In addition to being a great food season, spring almost equates to happiness, sustained happiness. It doesn't soon fade like that fantastic fall feeling does to winter, it endures through summer. Spring's enchantment lies largely in the fact that it serves in anticipation of summer. And indeed, the best part of many great things is anticipation for it.

I wish that spring was more of a new beginning, a fresh start, like it is for the plants in my garden. In my life it's more of a culmination but at the same time it's fresh (never frozen) from the winter. I see spring as a traveler, fresh out of a snowstorm, pioneering happiness through warmer climates.

My first butter lettuce is in. It's fresh from the garden. It's sweet, soft, and, well, buttery. My mom thinks it's sweet enough, soft enough, buttery enough, to eat without any dressing. Not quite, but minimally invasive dressing is preferable with lettuce this fresh. I made this salad with a simple champagne vinaigrette and I tossed it with cashews, ham and avocado.

Hopefully as my plants spring up and back into life, so will my blog :)