I had Spruce Tip Beer once, in Alaska. It was tasty. Spruce tips are the buds on spruce trees and definitely a sign of spring. Apparently they can be used in many edible dishes—even shortbread. But pick too many and you hamper the tree’s ability to grow. This article has a nice science-y overview, as well as the shortbread recipe. I noticed spruce tips in the neighborhood this week and grabbed a few pics (but not tips) on my run this morning.
It rained and hailed this evening. Rebbe didn’t like it, but it was glorious. We need the moisture, and hearing the birds return (or, more likely, emerge from shelter) was delightful. We even saw some deer in the area below us that the city has recently cleared. In case you’re wondering, they’re clearing out invasive species, so while it looks devastated, it is serving the future.
Hail. 
Nope.
Some new LEGO arrived today. I’m choosing Emmet and Lucy (Wildstyle) for tonight and saving the Knight Bus for some other days.
I ordered the LEGO Movie 2 Good Morning Sparkle Babies set because I thought it was cute. (And I really liked the movie.)
I didn’t remember Sparkle Babies from the movie. Apparently, according to brickfanatics.com, the set is “based on the film’s conclusion, when Finn and Bianca have finally learned to play together and combined their imaginative worlds into one colourful utopia. The Sewer Babies from Apocalypseburg are now Sparkle Babies, and in this charming set Emmet and Lucy are going to visit them with feeding bottles.” OK, then. They’re still cute and the set actually has a “baby catapult” (ethically questionable) with many instances of the warning symbol below in the instruction booklet.
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