I know, there's way more than 5 reasons to be rejoicing that springtime is here, but these are the things that scream spring to me. I couldn't be happier that this damp and chilly winter is over, and  since the sun was shining harder than it has in a while today, here are some of my favorite things about spring!


1.  Sangria

Divya Thakur - Flickr

Nothing beats a nice sweet sangria on a sunny day. Granted, lots of spring days are rainy, but it tastes just as good on those days, too. My favorite fruit additions are orange slices, strawberries, and limes. Or just go to Olive Garden and order some, because theirs is superb.


2. Tulips 



Tulips are definitely one of my favorite flowers; I love how they can open or close repeatedly based on their environmental temperature. Pink and orange ones are the prettiest (opinion alert!) but I would rather have a vase of tulips over roses any day of the week.




3. Grilling out




I happen to be very lucky, because I am married to the best grill-master alive. He is in complete and utter agreement with me that steaks and hamburgers should still be mooing when you take them off the coals. Also, anything else he grills is pretty much perfect. Like I said, I'm a lucky girl.


4.  Terrace Sitting





When the spring air is fresh and cool, there is nothing quite like sitting out on a terrace and drinking some good coffee. (Not tea.) Our front porch is the place to be all the way from spring to late fall - while spring is definitely wonderful and a welcome change from winter, my favorite season by far is autumn. There will likely be many a blog post about fall when it finally arrives...


5. Red Mulch



It might be a little weird, but I love the smell of mulch. I don't know if all mulch smells the same, because I only use one kind. The red really makes the green plants pop (even though the dye they use sometimes stains your shoes after a rainstorm). Nothing says spring like a flower garden freshly adorned in that vermilion red shade.

Tell me what spring things you're thankful for!