Sprouting Up

Just a quick walk around our garden reveals so many natural wonders breaking through the cold, firm earth to brave the chill winds and get a bit of warmth from our Spring sunshine. What a wonderful world...

Sedum

Daisy



Columbine




Bearded Iris





Peony




Crocus



Tulip

In the blink of an eye, we'll have such a colorful and interesting garden. Isn't Mother Nature great?!

Ahhh, Spring!

I know we have been enjoying Spring for many days now, in fact the first day was on March 20th, but to me yesterday was really the first day. Dad and I stopped by the roadside to cut some Lilac for Mom. These Lilac bushes grow unkempt and you might say wild. Mom has been wistfully eyeing this stand of bushes for many years. I find it amazing that my Mom can tell a "good" Lilac from a "bad" Lilac just by looking at it, from a speeding car no less! A good Lilac are the scented ones and of course the bad ones are unscented.

Mom was thrilled! So, now we have a large bouquet of one of the best heralds of Spring  filling the house with its wonderful scent. Nothing better. Ahhh, Spring!

Spring Warm Up?

April 5th and it is snowing. According to the calendar the first day of Spring was 16 days ago, someone forgot to inform Mother Nature. It is not the first time we have had snow in April but it is still disappointing. I think it is more of shock for the early flower bulbs, budding trees, and the birds.

As the saying goes, "This too shall pass.". The snow won't last long, but it will still be a chilly morning and probably slow commuter driving. So how about starting your day out with a nice bowl of oatmeal. I made this bowl extra special by sauteing Granny Smith apple and raisins in butter, cinnamon, and sugar. I promise it is yummy!

Sign of Spring

Amid last year's garden debris of leaves, branches, and wood chips emerges a cluster of bright green and with it, the promise of the warm, sunny days of Spring.

This plucky little plant is a variety of Sedum. It is a hardy plant and is up and thriving long before any Tulips, Crocus, or Hyacinths have poked their way into the weak Winter sunlight.

I can't wait to get to work in the garden! I've already been thinking about the flower beds and which flowers should go in the patio pots. I've been wondering how the two new Japanese Maples have survived the winter, and what about the transplanted Weigelia shrub? It's almost the middle of March and I haven't planted my tomato seeds yet! But there is much work to be done to prepare the garden, cutting down the ornamental grasses, trimming the Viburnum shrubs and the Burning Bushes and the Butterfly bush, cleaning up leaves that have collected along the fence, and the list continues. Ah, so much work but so much fun to help Mother Nature put on a beautiful show.

Things that make me happy!

• Snowflakes twinkling like diamonds in the evening lamplight
• Early morning walks with my dog
• Knowing Spring is on the way
• Warm chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven
• Playing and exercising on my Wii
• Hugs and kisses
• Rainbows
• Back scratches
• Dinners with friends
• Working in the garden
• The smell of freshly mowed grass
• Rainy days that finally end!