As I write this (which is always several weeks before publication), the snow is still melting from our historic January winter storm, and it’s so fun to transport myself forward in my mind to my favorite time of year in Northwest Florida — glorious spring!
This issue’s gardening stories remind me that I cannot wait to get outside and dig in the dirt on a beautiful spring day, a love I inherited from my mother. Once, when I was a child in East Tennessee, she noticed that the field that backed up to our yard had not been used for a few years. She contacted the farmer who owned it and asked if she could plant the field. He agreed, and she singlehandedly dug up some neat rows and planted corn, peas, beans and other fruits and vegetables. We all enjoyed the bounty of a homegrown harvest that year, and I have a fond memory of sitting in the dirt between rows, picking peas off the vine, opening the pods, and eating those sweet pearls right there — pure joy.
The other, not-so-pleasant thought I’m having about spring is sunscreen. Lots and lots of sunscreen. I just had my first Mohs surgery for skin cancer on my forehead, and now I’m going to be that annoying person who constantly bugs everyone else about sunscreen. As spring gets us all excited to be outdoors again, please don’t forget to protect your skin! A great hat is always a nice companion, too.
Finally, I want to share how excited I was that Bella writer Magi Thomley Williams was able to sit down with NAS CO Chandra Newman to talk about her fascinating career and what she hopes to accomplish during her time in Pensacola. I think you’ll enjoy reading about her.
There’s lots to love in this issue of Bella, but most of all, we love that you’re here with us. Happy spring!
— Lisa Player
