Spring has Sprung...

The first day of September has heralded the arrival of Spring in Brisbane. I even spotted the first frangipani flowers of the season this morning on my drive to work.

I've always loved this time of year, with its crisp mornings and warm afternoons and that certain "clean" smell in the air.

Spring means that soon the jacaranda trees will be in bloom and who doesn't love that splash of pale purple that brightens your view. There's a certain hill near my office where you stand looking back at the city and the valley between is dotted with many splotches of purple.

Spring means the return of shorts, with pale winter-white legs everywhere welcoming the sun's rays for the first time in a long time. Having dropped a few dress sizes since I last wore shorts, I get to go shopping for cute new ones (yay) or perhaps whip up a few pairs on my sewing machine.

Spring means the days are getting increasingly longer, so I will get to leave work before the sun disappears for the day and have more time in the afternoon to do, well, anything.

What do you love about spring?

Things that have made me smile today...

Here are some things that have made me smile today:

* Having a cuddly sleep in, even though it's Monday
* Seeing more photos from my cousin's wedding last Friday on Facebook
* Buying this months RealLiving magazine (love it) and reading it on my lunch break
* Being let to the front of the supermarket express lane by a lady who told me that I should be spending my lunch break enjoying my time off, not standing in line at the supermarket

The first and last ones made me smile the most. A sleep in on any day is good, but knowing that today is Monday made it so much better. And, the last one is like getting a compliment from a stranger - you're not quite sure if you should take it or not, but it makes you smile nonetheless.

What has you smiling today?