Early onset Spring Fever

* When I left the house at 6 a.m. (well before sunrise) I heard birds singing.

* I drove 20 mph under the speed limit all the way to Afton.

* I found myself shouting "Good Morning!" to cows.

* I switched the car radio from endless NPR news, Martha Stewart advice, and Howard Stern dirty talk to a station playing classic country.

* I'm not disturbed by the bugs on the windshield.

What does all this mean? Yep, a (probably premature) case of Spring Fever! It hits me hard at this time of year. I like to think that spring makes me more creative, but really it just makes me goofier and more daydreamy.

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I fall more in love with Claremore every day. I've been snapping pictures there whenever I have a little extra time on the way to Afton Station. I'll show those another time. Today, I stopped at "My Doll Castle" on Claremore's very vital Main St. (called Will Rogers Blvd.) because that amazing doll store creates wonderful, fanciful window displays for major holidays. This morning, when I saw a blaze of green in the window, I pulled into a parking spot right in front. St. Patrick's Day! I took some photos of the dolls, but will post them closer to the holiday. In the meantime, here are a couple of other dolls in their window. I've never been much of a doll lover, but these are just extraordinary!

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At the Station, I had 9 visitors today, a respectable number. I was hoping for more, of course, on this beautiful day, but this was definitely a "quality beats quantity" kind of day. My first visitor was a lady from Tulsa collecting pressed pennies for her son. Later, a guy named David Smart from Tulsa and his friend stopped by. He grew up in Afton, graduated from Afton High School in '79, and was on a real nostalgia trip. Betty, who was with me at the time, remembered him from when he was a kid, and of course he remembered Betty for the delicious ice cream she served down at the Dairy Ranch. His parents once owned the Little Cafe attached to the Palmer Hotel across the street. He was so enthusiastic about his past, the fun of growing up in Afton, and remembering old friends, that he completely cheered our day. I hope he comes back often.

A family from Deer Creek, OK came in next. They were visiting their lake house for the first time in months, making sure the place had survived the harsh winter. Another sign of spring! Later, a couple from Peggs, OK stopped by. They were extremely interested in Route 66 and how I got involved with it. I predict they'll be taking a full-size Route 66 trip one of these days. Here they are!
On the way home, I stopped to chat with Frank and Trudy at the Chelsea Motor Inn for a little while. I'm just crazy about those folks!!! They're painting their motel, so I disturbed the work for a short time by staying to gab. A great day!