All around me, spring has sprung, as Mother Nature begins anew.

Earlier this season, bright songbirds and plant-filled nurseries issued clarion calls to action, and I obeyed. I planted red, yellow, and blush colored roses. I arranged a space for three hydrangeas under the live (evergreen) oak tree, and my irises are showing signs of life. I’m excited about potential blooms and al fresco dining on cool spring nights.

But, honestly, it’s not the usual cabin fever that has me traipsing through the tulips. I am warming from a long, two-year winter …