By ELEANOR MARTIN

My daughter works as a medical technologist in downtown Louisville, KY. Her husband came up with the idea of building a home in Starlight, Ind., a magnificent rural setting of scenic rolling hills and strips of timber.

She thought, why not? She would be able to sit on the porch and see the cattle grazing on the hillside, watch the birds, seeing blue jays fighting over their territory, walk a path through the woods with the dogs and pick a wildflower, but found it hard to manage. Always chores to do.

However, this morning she took a stroll through the garden. It's one of the loveliest times of the year. Over the fresh green landscape the dogwoods are blooming, at a distance they look like white clouds, enhanced by the color of redbud trees.

The tulips are beautiful and always full of surprises, the buds appear to be almost white or very pale until the sun shines on them a couple of days, unfolding to brilliant shades of color.

If you are planning to attend the Kentucky Derby May 7th in Louisville, you will see the tulips in all their glory at Churchill Downs.

This morning my daughter brought me a bouquet of flowers from her garden. Where shall I put them? I have a green mixing bowl that seems just right, with some plants draped over the edge of the bowl, the branches from the flowering Almond standing tall.

I'm pleased with this arrangement. Maybe I'll change my career and study as a flower designer.

As we look over the hills there is wild beauty everywhere.

Can you believe three months of 1988 is now history and soon it will soon be the fourth month? Now we can look back on winter reflectively and glory in spring.

It will soon be strawberry time and the Mexicans will come as they do each year to help harvest the crops. It’s a great state for growing apples too. Which shall it be - strawberry shortcake or apple pie? My guess is you like both.

After moving to Indiana her first try in planting a garden was a disaster, the rows of vegetables were so crowded you could not get through to cultivate, but the second look you could see bean blossoms down there somewhere.

On driving to work each morning she passes a pond with ducks swimming undisturbed by traffic. This must be a stopover on their way farther north.

Even though you are not driving to work, make a drive around the neighborhood, and enjoy the beauty of spring, and see what it has to offer. We do not know what tomorrow will bring but this day has been perfect.

Don and Jean Martin Wallace