Pretty Purple Plants.

Sometimes, we've received chocolates from Hawaii.

Other times, we've been given generous tips and kind compliments.

But recently, the baristas at the coffee shop where I work have been generously gifted with fresh bouquets of lilacs from one of our regulars.

Oh they're simply stupendous.

Fragrant and beautiful in color, the more time I spent around them, the more inspired I became by these little pretty purple plants.

So it came as no surprise to me that I stumbled across a ravishing recipe on Pinterest when I was searching for fun summer cocktails. Instead of lilacs, however, it incorporated another pretty purple plant: lavender.

Well I simply had to try it!  So I zipped up a lovely purple '60's dress, tied a tulle bow in my hair, and gleefully went to the grocery store to pick up said ingredients.

Whilst shopping, I also came across a matching purple donut that made me double take in the pastry aisle. I simply couldn't pass it up! You donut ever pass up on those.

Donuts, blackberry lavender champagne cocktails, and one marvelous purple dress made for quite an enjoyable evening indeed.

Ain't it neat when you get inspired by the littlest of things?

Who knew the power of those pretty purple plants?

Summer, Summer.

It was another typical mid-morning rush at the coffee shop. Except the majority of customers now resemble out of town tourists spotting souvenir Salty Dawg hoodies and Extra Tuffs.

In the midst of the rush, however, a regular came up to the counter to order her signature sixteen ounce skinny latte, extra hot and heavy. She looked at me, and in the middle of the bustle, told me that one of the things she most looked forward to every morning was coming into the coffee shop and seeing what I would be wearing.

My heart melted!

Only the kindest thing I could've heard on that dreary, rainy, dark morning at the coffee shop.

"What occasion inspires the look today?" she asked.

And I replied simply: summer.

(cue High School Musical's What Time Is it )  

Officially, the calender has deemed it the proper time to call our season summer. There were hints weeks ago, like the slow influx of traffic on the Sterling Highway and the barrage of curious questions at the coffee shop, but while all reminders hinted at the summer season, I couldn't help but feel let down at the weather.

Unlike last year, where every day was another stunning seventy degree sensation, we have instead been graced with... rain.

Cold, wet, and dreary rain, as I'm constantly reminded by the complainers around me. Except for today. One rare customer was on her way out the door and bid us the most optimistic farewell: 

"Hopefully, the weather will flip soon. But until the rain stops, we'll just have another cup of coffee and stay warm!"

Sure enough, hours later, the sun came out and blessed us with its hibernating warmth.

Maybe it heard my High School Musical's whispered "summer, summer, summer...."

I know I'm attatched to trees, but I didn't think it was literal!