Spring Filly Fun – And a Giveaway!!!

by

It’s springtime at the Junction, and it’s my favorite season of the year. The countryside is turning green, wildflowers are blooming, the Texas sun shines without the deadly summer heat, and blue skies lift my spirits. The signs of new life and fresh beginnings fill me with hope.

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By far, my favorite spring sightings in Texas are the bluebonnets. I start looking for them every year around this time. They don’t generally start blooming this far north until April, but sometimes I catch a glimpse of a few early ones peeking through the grass along the highway.

One of my other favorite things about spring is all the birthdays in my family. My husband’s birthday was March 9, my youngest son’s was March 22, and today is my mom’s birthday.

In honor of my mom, I’m going to give away a set of three books by the lovely Tracie Peterson. This is her Sapphire Brides series – and since sapphires are blue and bluebonnets are blue – it seemed fitting. (OK, that’s a bit of a stretch, but who cares? It’s free books!)

  • To enter for a chance to win, leave a comment describing your favorite element of spring.

 

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For those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. Karen is a firm believer in the power of happy endings. . . and ice cream. She is an avid cross-stitcher, and makes her home in Abilene, TX with her husband and three children. Learn more about Karen and her books at: www.karenwitemeyer.com.

188 thoughts on “Spring Filly Fun – And a Giveaway!!!”

  1. My favorite element of Spring is the newness of life…new leaves sprouting on the trees, daffodils digging themselves out of the soil almost overnight. One day everything looks drab and bare and the next God’s masterpiece of Spring has taken hold and life springs up all over.

    I am a native Southern Californian so to me, in the past, I couldn’t tell when Spring happened except to look at the calendar or because the temperature changed a little. Now that I live in northeast indiana, I am blessed to take in all the season changes and love them.

    I love the pictures of the Texas bluebonnets.

    Blessings,
    Cindy W.

    countrybear52 AT yahoo DOT com

    • I couldn’t agree more, Cindy. Love all the new life around me. New plants shooting up, trees turning green, grass growing, flowers starting to bloom. How can anyone not feel hope during such a time?

  3. My favorite element of spring is that everything starts to grow or come back to life. Flowers, gardens, plants, and animals. I live in Texas also and I love all the bluebonnets everywhere.

    • Yay, Mary! Love those bluebonnets. And we had such a mild winter this year that they are blooming so early. I’ve even seen them here in Abilene. At least in a few places. I hope summer delays so we can enjoy a nice, long spring.

  6. I adore Texas bluebonnets! I love it when they cover everything and there are fields of them. My favorite thing of spring is the tulips and daffodils that show up early and encourage me!

    • Me, too, Susan. We don’t get them that thick as far north as I am, but I love looking at pictures of the fields just bursting with color. And Tulips and daffodils are such glorious pops of color. Love those, too! I have a lily plant that resurrected and turned into 4 new plants blooming in one of my large outdoor pots. Can’t want for them to start blooming.

  7. I love when the daffodils start to bloom, with their cheery yellow heads nodding in the breeze.

  8. I love spring its like a new world opening up for us. I love the green grass and flowers that come out. I can’t say I like the alergies that go with it but everything else is awesome. Love taking long walks in the spring.

    • Ah, those annoying allergies. They are a definite downside to spring, Quilt Lady. Yet not even allergies can dim the beauty and cheer of spring. Long walks sound lovely! I walked around my neighborhood this weekend. I wish I had a botanical garden to walk through. How gorgeous would that be?

  9. My favorite element of Spring is the sense of renewal I get. It’s a miraculous magical show God puts on to show us now matter what happens in life that life goes on. The awakening of the earth after Winter’s slumber. The trees budding,the flowers blooming,baby birds in their nests,baby animals being born. God is good all the time and all the time God is good!

    • Yes, Deanne! I can’t help but think of Jesus when he said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” Such hope and life. Spring reminds me of this every year.

  10. Oh that picture of bluebonnet makes me want to visit Texas asap!!
    I love the newness of life and the earth at spring time. It’s planting season. It’s growing season. The smell of dirt and rain. The sounds of birds and baby animals. Everywhere I turn is a reminder of God’s love for me in the details of this earth life.

  11. Whenever I see a robin in the yard, I know spring is following soon. Growing up in northern Ohio, spring could arrive quite late, and my mom always told us that robins meant spring was coming. Oh, and the smell of daffodils…they smell so fresh and clean after the cold weather.

  12. I love Spring because it’s so incredibly refreshing after our hard, freezing winters… I love the smell of spring, the birds coming back and singing, and of course all of the flowers. It’s like a giant rebirth.

    • That paints a lovely picture, Liz! Our winters aren’t nearly as bad down here in the south, but I still love the promise of warm weather and beautiful scenery that spring brings.

  14. There are so many things I adore about spring time. Being able to watch the trees turn to green again, hear all the birds, see the daffodils spring up having campfires with my family in the evening, sitting outside on the hammock reading a book, going outside and feeling the sun’s rays soak into my skin, and so many more.

  15. I love the bluebonnets! I spent last weekend driving around Texas small towns looking for good places to take pictures. Also right around Easter, you can see little crosses on the tops of the pine trees and I just love that.

  16. Oh, spring has always been my favorite season!! I love the fresh smell of dirt and rain…and I absolutely love seeing the tulips, daffodils, and lilacs after a long gray upstate NY winter!

  17. I love the beauty of colors popping up everywhere. I love that we can get out and enjoy each day as the weather is so much better than in the winter.

  18. My favorite part of spring is the signs of new life. I love seeing the flowers, trees and grasses come to life. And who can resist watching all the cute baby animals being born!

  20. Our spring hasn’t quite begun yet, but when it happens? The best part is spending time in the backyard as a family. BBQing, playing, and planting flowers.

  21. I love all the different blossoms. The white that look like giant popcorn balls on the trees. The Pink because we will be getting peaches this year. The yellow star burst on the bushes and the light pink surrounded by the red leaves of the flowering cherry trees.

  23. My favorite part of spring is seeing the flowers bud and open, as is os just the beginning of the growing season.

  24. I love sapphires. It is my birthstone. I love Spring as well. I’m ready for warmer weather, green trees, tulips, daffodils, lilacs, phlox – all the pretty shades of color. I have robins too and birds busy building nests and yesterday I saw a squirrel playing in the yard.

  25. The warm, fresh air! It feels and smells different… I love opening up the windows and letting out stuffy air and letting in spring!

  26. I know that this answer may be a bit corny, but my most favorite thing about spring is that my daughter was born! April 29th, I even named her after a character from one of Tracie Peterson’s books, Raini(I just changed the spelling). My second favourite is the rain 🙂

    • That’s not corny at all, Adeline! I have 3 spring birthdays in my family just in March. We have at least one more in April. It’s the perfect time for new life. And how perfect that you named your daughter after one of Tracie’s characters! This giveaway is made for you. 🙂

  27. As a teacher, one of my favorite things about spring is Spring Break! I also love more sunlight in a day, warmer days, and the flowers blooming!

    • Yes, love spring break! I work at a university, and while I don’t get the full week off, we do get Friday off which makes for a nice 3 day weekend. My kids were all home for the break, though, and I love playing family games when we all get together, so it was a wonderful break. I bet teachers live for it!

  28. My favorite part of Spring is waking up to birdsong! We live in the heart of Daniel Boone National Forest and feed a wide variety of birds! Even in the rain, they’re out there bursting with song! I love it!!

    • I’m so envious of your forest setting. I’ve often told my husband that when we retire, I want to live in a forested area. I adore trees, the peacefulness, the walking paths, the animals. Sigh. West Texas has its own beauty, but I miss the trees and mountains.

  29. I love bluebonnets! They’re such a vibrant shade of blue. I’ve had the privilege of seeing them several times on trips we took to Texas. Spring came early to OK My daffodils and hyacinths have come and gone, but my azaleas are in full bloom. Gotta love springtime!

  30. Oh how I love the wildflowers in Texas this time of year..The road side and fields are gorgeous! I will be going that way the last of April till July.. Lived in San Antonio for 3 years and go back every year. I love the rich history of the state.

    • Wonderful, Paula. With as early as everything is blooming this year, I hope there are still bluebonnets for you to enjoy in late April. I’m sure there will be. Enjoy San Antonio!

  33. Watching and waiting for all the flowers to bloom and to see all the sandhill cranes flying over on there way north to canada.

  34. My favorite thing about spring is the butterflies flying around plus now living in the middle of nowhere is I can read under a tree and enjoy the flowers and pray under the tree and think. Simple things.

  35. I absolutely love the Texas wildflowers. Indian Paintbrushes are my favorite. I also love the Sun and warmth, without the crazy intense summer heat.

  36. Let’s be honest, the best thing about spring is that the weather is warming up and the kids can play outside!!! More quiet time for more reading!!!

  37. I love seeing the first daffodils here, usually in February. To me they are such a symbol of hope even though I realize that we may still have wintry days ahead but spring is not far away.

    I love seeing photos of bluebonnets also. Wish we had them here in West Tennessee.

    Don’t include me in drawing- I have the books already.

  38. New life! Spring brings new hope and new life everywhere you look and with it brings a breath of fresh air!

  39. I love when spring explodes in the south. It seems like every yard has Azealas, Dogwoods and Wisteria all blooming at once. Imagine a rainbow falling from the sky just for your pleasure. That’s my favourite element of Spring.

  40. I start looking for roadside blooms! The coltsfoot and ragwort are making their debut here in WV. I saw 2 butterflies the other day and the honeybees have been buzzing ! Soon our WV hills will be fully awake with a touch from the Master gardener!!!

  41. There is nothing like spring in the south. Clean skies, flowers in bloom, the birds chirping, the cool nights that is perfect for a bon fire with the family and friends. Baseball season starts. Spring is just the perfect time of year.

  42. Well its not my allergies, LOL! But I do love seeing all of the colors the plants and trees bring out in Spring!

  43. New life on the farm, from baby animals, to the spring flowers and trees, to the new sprouts in my garden, to the excitement of watching new leaves opening on the trees and the grass growing greener after winter’s sleep. Love springtime!

  44. My favorite part of spring is the beautiful weather and the flowers. I also enjoy spending time outside, going on walks and reading outside. Thanks for the chance to win.

    • I work on a university campus, and the students are starting to hang their hammocks outside. I’m sure they are being very studious as they swing in the sunshine. 😉

  45. It’s when I can sit outside and not have to be bundled up, while listening to the flutter of birds flying past me on their way to the bird feeders. Then looking up and seeing the light green of fresh buds springing from the trees. Ahhh, spring. Love this season. On the front porch I sit now, hoping this warm weather stays around for awhile.

    • Me, too. Spring always seems like the shortest season in Texas. Winter hangs on too long and summer jumps in early. But this year, spring came early, so I’m hopefully it will last longer than usual.

  47. The thing I like about spring is when the crocuses bloom. They remind me of my grandmother, whom I adored. Every year we would watch for them to appear. She would get so excited when they popped up and so would I then. Her birthday is in March, about the same time these little beauties come to life. So every year I watch for them and I know she is up in heaven watching too.

    • I love music from the 1940s and I remember a song about the crocuses. I just looked it up – It Might as Well Be Spring. It talks about how giddy he is because he’s sure he’s about to meet the girl for him. So even though he hasn’t seen a crocus or a rosebud, it might as well be spring. 🙂

  49. Love seeing all of the new life sprouting. Around here in SC we can see daffodils as early as Feb.
    This past Saturday my husband and I drove up to Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC to see the spring gardens. Just beautiful!

  50. I grew up in Michigan, and now I live in South Dakota. Winters are long and cold. When the crocuses pop up and the daffodils bloom (my favorite!), I absolutely love it! I also love wearing anything but my big winter coat and boots too!

  51. My favorite element of spring is the awakening that occurs. Bare, sleepy trees from winter wake up and start turning green with their delicate leaves, bulbs planted deep in the ground break open and produce lovely flowers, pastures become filled with new life, the list goes on and on.

  52. I love the newness of life all around! I think it is so fitting with Easter and the celebration of His resurrection in spring is portrayed in a great picture throughout nature! It’s just a great time of year!

  53. Hi Karen! I love Spring and everything coming up green and beautiful and flowers blooming and leaves sprouting. It’s a reminder of old things becoming new again!

  54. Hello and Happy Spring! I love all the new bright green leaves on the trees, and all of the beautiful blooms! We have daffodil and tulip fields not too far away that are an amazing sight when blooming. Nice for us to feel the warm sun again too.

    • I love flower fields! I grew up in a small California town called Lompoc. We were famous for the flower fields outside our town. We would have a Flower Festival every year with a parade and fair. Artists would come to paint the fields and sell their work. I miss those fields.

  55. Aww, what a sweet blog post! And happy birthday to your family! My birthday is May 7th and my son is May 28th…so I always say that he is my birthday and mother’s day gift late! I love the photo of the bluebonnets, absolutely gorgeous! My favorite flowers are tulips!

    My favorite season is Spring also, since May is still in the spring season! So that is number 1 reason to love Spring, 🙂 And the other reason is I love to see how God works in making all the flowers and trees start to bud and bloom. All the beautiful little birds that come out and hummingbirds too. 🙂 Oh by, I could go on and on.

    Thank you for this opportunity to win Tracie Peterson’s books; I love her writings. Let’s remember to pray for her and her family, she just lost her 28 year old nephew! 🙁

    • May is another big birthday month for us. My daughter is May 12, I am May 27, my son is May 31, my father-in-law is May 22, and my stepdad is May 17. We definitely have spring covered when it comes to birthdays.

      And thank you for the prayers on Tracie’s behalf. I just learned about her nephew earlier today. So sad to lose one so young.

  56. I love watching nature come alive after being dormant for so long. And the birds. Love the birds.

  57. My favorite parts about spring are the birds that stop in Florida on their way back north. It’s also the time of year to watch baby birds learn to fly and time for the water to start warming up at the beach. It’s also time for baseball to begin again!

    • Ah – another baseball fan. My husband would be so proud. Ha! He actually went to the Rangers’ spring training camp last year with our youngest son. He keeps trying to convince me to come, too. I’ve found valid reasons to avoid the trip so far, but one of these days, I’ll probably give in. 😉

  58. Spring is like a rebirth, everything coming to life. Lots in the yards, planting flowers, and get the lawn work started. New leaves on the trees.

    • Yes. Around here, we know spring has truly arrived when the mesquite trees start turning green. The almost lime green leaves are a gorgeous contrast with the dark wood. So fresh and new and alive. It’s beautiful.

  59. I love that I’m a spring baby and so are many of my family! My first daughter’s birthday is in March but I actually have 12 family members born in March. My birthday is in April as well as my sister, making 12 of us born in April. My second daughter is born in May as well as my husband making 16 family born in May!

  60. When the Texas Bluebonnets & Indian Paintbrush all bloom together on the sides of the highways & country roads I know that Spring is here.

  62. My fav is the new life that we see everywhere. Green leaves and grass, beautiful flowers, the gift of new life.

  63. I love seeing the grass turn green and the flowering trees blooming. It’s very nice to go out without a coat too. My allergies, however, do not care for spring.

    • Yes, allergies can dim one’s enjoyment of spring. Thankfully, we can still enjoy much of the beauty from a car window or a morning walk when the pollen counts are lower. 🙂

  64. My favorite thing about spring is the breezes that come through the windows and the beautiful flowers blooming everywhere with lots of colors!

    • It’s rare for us to have open windows in Texas. It’s usually too hot or too cold, but for a few weeks in spring and fall, the temps are just right. Thank heavens for screens, though, because the bugs are awful!

  67. I love the extra day light. It gives me a chance to get home from work and enjoy working outside.

  68. Hi Karen! My favorite element of Spring is seeing all the new life pop up everywhere in the form of flowers & cherry trees blossoming! I also have an author friend who has posted pictures of her newly born calves with their mamas. It’s exciting to see new life all around. Reminds me of my new life in Christ when I gave my heart to Him 🙂

    Thanks for the chance to win an entire series by Tracie Peterson. She’s one of my favorite authors (along with you, of course!)

  69. LOL I love your reasoning for the blue of sapphires and bluebonnets. I love just about everything about spring. Today we had a very intense thunder storm and I thought how much I preferred that last week’s snow storm!

    • Ha! Yes, we did, too. Thankfully most of the hail missed us and the tornado warning didn’t turn into an actual tornado touching down. Spring is lovely, but all that change brings some unpleasantness as well. Storms, allergies. But in the end, it’s worth it.

  70. Thank you for this post and generous giveaway Karen!Hope your Mom had a lovely birthday! As for Spring a few things I love about the season is the sound of the birds singing and the blooming of plants. I love how things are coming alive again!

  71. Trees. Far and away watching tree leaves sprout and unfold, and noting who’s first, next and last. They mark the progression and the unfolding of spring for me. I also love all the daffodils I have all the way around my house that come in at different times depending on whether they’re on the north or south side of the house but they come early and fairly fast compared to the longer miracle of the trees. What I really do not miss is the total gray and brown of the Northeast winter with less sun, which also means I love the increasingly longer days of daylight as spring progresses.

    • Yes. I love the trees, too. Our redbuds are my favorite. Such glorious deep pink/magenta color all over the branches. The pear trees are lovely, too, with their lacy white blossoms. Even the mesquite with their lime green new leaves. I adore watching the trees come to life this time of year!

  72. In central Florida, I have Mulberry trees, I enjoy the birds, Cedar Was Wings, flying in to eat the berries.

  73. What’s not to love about spring? The snow finally disappears (still waiting on this one), the birds come back (saw my first hawk yesterday) and the air smells fresh. Being able to open the windows once again, hang the sheets out on the washline, poke around in the flower beds. It’s all signalling new life.

  74. I love the sounds that come alive outside. That it’s warming up and Windows can be left open to listen to all that is alive outside.

    • We don’t open our windows too often in Texas (too many bugs and dust) but I love to take walks in the early morning when the birds are so busy singing. I can’t help but smile.

  75. My favorite part of Spring is all the different shades of green. When trees bud out, grass starts growing, and plants start pushing through, they all have their own special color of green. By late Spring or Summer, the greens have “hardened and things sort of all blend together.

  77. I love to see the tulips start popping up…they make me feel a little better when I have to say goodbye to the snow and my favorite season.

    • A winter lover, huh? Good for you, Lynette. There are certainly things I will miss. Snuggling up in fuzzy blankets, sipping hot tea, etc. But I’m not too sad to see it go.

  78. I am from Phoenix, Arizona. In the spring, the temperature is about 70-80 degrees with no humidity and light breezes. The brilliant blue sky lingers later and later as winter transitions to summer. At the end of the day, the sky turns a mixture of a vibrant pink and orange color. I love sitting on my patio with a cup of coffee to watch the sunset in the evening.

  80. I love to watch the bluebonnets start to bloom. They are so beautiful to see. It reminds me of a new promising season.

    • And doesn’t the green just feel brighter and more vibrant in spring than it does in any other season? Maybe it’s because it’s so new, but the colors just seem stronger in spring than in summer.

  82. I grew up in AZ but now live in WI – Spring looks totally different in the Midwest, though seeing the desert in full bloom is a beautiful site. In WI I enjoy seeing all the of trees, plants & flowers come back to life.

  83. Spring is my favorite season!!! I love the temperatures, seeing everything come back to life. My birthday is also in April. 😀 Thank you souch for the chance to win these books.

  88. My favorite flower is the daffodils peaking out of the ground in early spring! I know there will be warmer weather soon!

  89. Karen – Thanks for your blog & the bluebonnets are beautiful. My favorite part of spring are all the flowers, birds & fresh air…..no SNOW!!! Spending time outdoors with our grandchildren at their baseball games & etc. Thanks, for the chance to win.

  90. Flowers in bloom are one of my favorite parts of spring, too. I also love seeing bluebirds return and lay their powder blue eggs.

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