SPRING CHORES

OK, OK, I HAVE BEEN BUSY. You might have noticed I really haven’t been in touch much this past week or so. Why? Unlike a few friends out west who just got snowed on – again… it has been warm enough here to try to get the yard shaped up a bit and the garden started. The peas are up to the first string (8”) and looking good! The ‘maters are in the raised bed… a few left to go elsewhere. I just haven’t decided where. My usual tomato spot is suddenly buried in irises a friend dug up. I will let them bloom out here and then separate them, replant them, or sell some at our plant sale next month. Have you ever heard of potato growing bags? I hadn’t either, but I am going to give them a try. I’ll try almost anything once. Last year I tried the upside down tomato bags – was not impressed. So, hopefully this will work out better. google potato bags and read about them. Got them started this morning.  Mike came by on Tues and carried the OLD Adirondack chair out to the patio for the summer. It is VERY old and actually came from the Adirondacks over 100 years ago. It is also too heavy for me to carry anymore. So, Mike moves it for me every year. I am so blessed to have so many great friends. And I am learning to actually ask for a favor every now and then. That is the hardest part. But the chairs are ready, the stones have had a new layer of sand in the cracks, and the geraniums are out of the greenhouse already in bloom. Now all we need are the visitors, and I have had a few stop by. You are always welcome if you are in the area. The chairs sit up on little blocks to keep the legs from rotting. The boys LOVE sleeping in the old chair. It is their favorite, too. I built the newer one, and the newest is plastic. The kids like that one.

Spring clean up means trimming back the dead branches here and there. The dogwood has just opened – weeks behind my friends in NC. 

The cherry tree is in bloom. The birds will love it in a few months.

Know what these are? Need a hint? They will be delicious on my cereal in a month or so. The little St Francis garden is filled with violets right now. The coleus are too small yet, the clematis is climbing up the new red frame. See the new Peace rose beside St Fwankie? I bought it in hopes of some Peace in the world, but… well, I am sure you see the news.

Check out this violet. Recognize the black stuff it appears to be growing in? Well, it is under a thistle seed feeder. It is buried in thistle seed hulls.

I saw this out the window this morning. I have 3 pairs of cardinals that live here. I love the spring when they feed each other. I missed the feeding shot, but got this one.

Most of the camellias are finishing up. The bushes are loaded with blooms. The azaleas are starting. Guess that will be next week’s edition.

Did you know what those little white flowers were? If you guess right, your prize will be a bowl of them whenever you stop by this summer. The late ones are just thinking about blooming right now.