Lest there be any doubt, spring is definitely here

There are certain inevitable signs of spring. Tulips blooming. Robins in the backyard (some of them running into your windows repeatedly). Capri pants show up on women everywhere. All of these, while pleasant, mean very little to me. I don't measure spring by when flowers bloom or how many trees are blossoming. No. Not me. I live in Pella! I measure spring by one thing and one thing only - Tulip Time. It is not spring until there are speiler booths and food stands setting along each and every street downtown. And now I can officially say that it is spring in Pella. The tulips are blooming, for those who wanted to know. See them in the next week or two or miss them entirely. Instead of Tulip Time we may have a stem festival. No one who lives here really cares whether the tulips bloom during Tulip Time. All we really care about are the food stands!! I saw the first one go in last night. Actually, it blocked the entire street on my way home. I had to back up and turn around - the whole works. As tempting as it was to be annoyed by the occurrence, I (being the glass-half-full girl that I am) decided to take it as one more sign that the joy of not cooking for three days, the humor in watching people limp around in wooden shoes, and the entertainment of tourists who can't believe people really live here is just around the corner.