We had two wonderful spring days last week among the cold, blustery days we've been having. I took the opportunity to work outside during these days and start the spring cleanup of the various beds. While I do some fall cleanup, I leave much of the growth to protect the roots of the perennials. Cleaning that up and pulling the winter and spring weeds seems overwhelming at times, but I like to be outside and touch the plants and the dirt. I see and learn so much when I'm up close and personal with them. However, the best part of this week was seeing my first spring flowers with their bright, cheery colors, signaling that winter will soon be over. Every day, there are more blooming. However, our last frost date is not until the middle of May, but spring is definitely on its way.
Here are some of the things I found this week in my yard.
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| When we first moved into this house, I found that among the various plants, there were no crocuses. So, I promptly planted them here and there for spring surprises throughout the yard. |
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| Another set is around the corner. |
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| However, some crocuses are just coming up or are being eaten as soon as they do. |
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| The squirrels bury various nuts around the yard. Here is an acorn they left behind. If you look closely, you can see it is just starting to sprout. |
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| And speaking of squirrels, you can see their teeth marks around the bird feeder. This feeder is touted to be squirrel-proof, and unlike all others that say the same thing, this one actually works! Last fall, the birds stopped coming to the feeder completely, so after a few months, we took it down. We put it back up this week, and the birds have returned. Hooray! Here, you see a male house finch and a female one peeking from behind. Finches are our most frequent visitors to the feeder. |
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| The daffodils that are close to the warm house are blooming. Others are just a few leaves poking above the ground. |
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| A few of the forsythia buds have opened. |
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| The high winds blew part of a giant bee's nest down from one of the pear trees. (That grass looks pretty green, doesn't it? I guess it's enjoying all of the rain.) |
I hope you are finding some signs of spring where you are.
Until next time...
