Travel Tales: Spring arrives in El Escorial, Spain

With the Pansies Comes Spring

We were traveling in Spain a

few years ago during the kids

Spring Break.  This day we

happened to be in El Escorial

not far from Madrid.  We had

just toured the magnificent but

rather austere palace and monastery

and since it was so beautiful outside

we decided to have a picnic lunch.

We found a lovely little park

to eat in.  Some people went

off to find drinks, some went

off to find samdwiches but I

sat in the square soaking up

the Spring sunshine.

 As we were leaving the US

a few days earlier a major

blizzard was just on our heels

chasing us as we left.  We hit

the air just as it hit our area

and closed everything down.

So back home we were still

in the winter season and to

sit outside in the warm sun

was wonderful.

As I sat there I noticed

workers were planting the

Spring flowers in the beds.

An elderly couple strolled by

and complimented the men

on the work they were doing

and with that the men gave

them a plant to take home

 for their balcony.  It was such

sweet kind, gesture.

And now every year when I plant

my Spring pansies like I did today,

I think of those workers and the

elderly couple.  Sometimes the little

things in life can stay with you forever.