The year's first cuppa springtime

It's cloudy, and chilly, and it's been rainy around the Big O lately.

And the other night, we even had our first big thunderstorm of the season. Welcome to April on the Great Plains.

Welcome to spring.

Next week, the weather forecast calls for sunny and 90. Or snow, I forget which.

WHAT I DO KNOW is that the mint is coming in all over the back yard, and we're going to be in high cotton -- so to speak -- until late fall. You know what that means, right?

Mint tea, made with fresh-cut goodness from the yard.

In honor of the occasion, I thought I'd immortalize the first pot of the year in pictures -- from fresh cut sprigs of green gold to the steeping pot, to the fourth cup of the evening.

It's early April, my allergies are about to do me in, the weather is all over the place, they tested the tornado sirens this morning (meaning it's that time of the year) . . . and life is good. And it's served up in a cup.