From the Editor
The springtime brings a sense of renewal that makes everything in life feel a little better and a lot brighter. The days seem longer, the sun shines brighter, and we all breathe a little easier as we shed layers of clothing and step into the warm sunlight.
The garden is my favorite place to witness the signs of spring’s arrival. I noticed this week that my daffodils had bloomed the color of soft butter, and my lilies sprouted new leaves. I found myself smiling as our big dogs pranced along the front lawn, licking the sweet raindrops from the spears of grass. As I gathered my spade and bucket and set out to replant my split flowers, I looked around with gratitude, remembering a time my yard didn’t have any flowers. Now there are tens of colorful bushes, flowering trees, and a rainbow of delicate blooms that fill my yard with life and springtime joy.
I smiled to myself as I pruned the branches of my forsythia, dotted with sparse yellow flowers. One of my favorite signs of spring is the forsythia bush, rich in a yellow color that brightens my smile every year. My birthday happens to coincide with the forsythia blooms each April. As a child, I mistook forsythia to mean “For Cynthia” (my real name). From my young perspective, it simply couldn’t be a coincidence that these beautiful flowers just happened to bloom on my birthday week. As far as I was concerned, that was my flower. I suppose my friends Lily, Rose, Ivy, Daisy, Willow, and my daughter, Holly, may have similar feelings about their namesake.
My mom always said the best time to garden is right after a good rain. It’s been several years now since my mother knelt in the garden and dug her hands in the dirt, though she certainly passed down her green thumb and love of gardening to me. I am thankful for the two special gifts my mother gave me: my very own namesake flower and the wisdom to care for it. A lot has changed over the years, but our relationship and enthusiasm for gardening remain constant.
With summer around the corner, local businesses are in full preparation. We all know that soon, the crowds will flock to our shores by the thousands. Judging by the number of concerts and community events on the calendar, Summer 2023 will be a stellar one! Dare I say, like pre-pandemic days?
This issue of Shore Local is bursting with spring and holiday events and entertainment. Check out the rich history of Gregory’s Restaurant and Bar on page 10, featured as this week’s legendary business. Hometown heroes on page 52, volunteer their time and resources to help others. In each issue of Shore Local, we are honored to highlight people within our community doing extraordinary things in a million different ways. It is the people, places, and events in our area that make the Jersey Shore a great place to live and visit. Please be sure to show our advertisers love, too, as they make each edition of Shore Local possible. Thank you for picking up this copy.
Happy Spring and Happy Gardening.
Peace & Love,
Cindy
