Spring Has Sprung

Over the past couple weeks it has become increasingly clear that change is in the air at Venice Beach. The days grow inexorably longer, the temperatures become more mild and, not surprisingly, each day seems to see more people at the beach.

"Can you smell the hyacinths?" Alma asked the other day. "It means spring is here." I had not noticed until she mentioned it but, wouldn't you know it, as soon as she said something about it, I began to notice the delicious odor of hyacinths. Or maybe it wasn't hyacinths I was smelling but some other ambrosia in the air.

Alma has caught the spirit of the season now. Below is a photo of two flowers she created this week from seashells and driftwood she found and collected on the beach earlier this month:

Alma is now working on some sculpted Easter eggs, sort of an update to the century-old Faberge tradition. She first used celluclay to mold the eggs and then spent quite some time sanding each of the 3 different-sized eggs to a satiny-smooth finish. The final step will be to hand paint each one. (Advance warning: each of the 3 eggs will be decorated in an abstract way to represent me, Alma and our black cat.)

Yes, spring is in the air. Winter has blown itself out. Although the weather people on TV are forecasting another heavy storm for this weekend, it will be a spring storm without the cold temperatures, I think. But we may be walking at the mall tomorrow and Sunday. I will keep you posted.