Pretty much is the yellow brick road...and everything else

In all North Carolina cities, at the very least, east of Chapel Hill a lovely blanket of pollen has blanketed the area leaving nothing untouched. It is like a continuous dusting of snow, but instead of the beautiful white winter wonderland left behind by snow, we are left with a powdery, yellow blanket that goes in your nose, eyes, on your black pants, patio furniture, porches, grills, cars....well, you get the picture. And, if you live here, you know the scene. I have to say, I think this is the worst year I can remember. Sure, we get pollen every year, but it's insanely pollinated out there people. If there was a pollen advisory level, we'd be off the charts, stay inside, threat of damage to small animals. And, we're not looking at rain for a few days so it's here to say.

With all of that said, I have to admit, I welcome the pollen. Not because of the mess or the color or the complete insanity of it, but because pollen means spring. It means flowery buds on trees, tulips and daffodils, the cool mornings, warm afternoons and sometimes crisp nights of spring. Green grass, barbeques, beers on the patio, margaritas outside on Thursday's after work. Dogwoods blooming, flip flops and shorts, time by the pool. Baseball games, sun on your face, walks through the park, leaving your sun roof open while you drive around town or head to the beach. Pollen brings, or rather is brought by, the wonderfulness of spring. And, I for one, am happy to live with a few weeks of pollen if it means I get all the other good stuff. Spring is, or so I was told once, the time of year when everything is reborn. It's like we can all shed our winter woes and face the world again, full of hope for sunnier days and flowery beginnings.

So, as crazy as the pollen is (and it's crazy out there), I sort of like it. Makes me know this is only the beginning of a spring season to be filled with all kinds of goodness.