We had some cold rain over the weekend, but it's warmer now.  Mid 60's today, supposed to be warmer tomorrow.  Yesterday Emma found some buds on the lilacs, and we transplanted the Strawberry Candy daylily to in front of the mudroom porch.

I was going to get soil and annuals for the two whiskey barrels today, but I had forgotten that it was interest group sharing --we have to go back to Spectrum for the evening.  I'll try to get some tomorrow.

Over the last couple of days we've had a flock of cedar waxwings visiting --lots of them on the bird baths at one time, and flying overhead.  We've also got a bluebird nest in one box, and perhaps another in the second box.

I think spring is really finally here.  We're getting 60's, maybe even 70 tomorrow.  The daffodils are starting to bloom --about time!  The hyacinths are showing color too, and the crocus are finishing.  

I think I might stop and get some soil and plants for the two planters out the mudroom door.  They're close enough to the house that frost this time of year doesn't really get to them.  

Easter

Today finally felt like spring --it got up to the mid-fifties, and the wind wasn't quite as strong.  After church, we all played and worked in the garden.  I got some more clean up done, including cleaning last years seedheads from the sedum, and transplanting the thistle-like plant that was too close to the blue-bird house.  Rob and Emma inspected the bees, and got the hives set up with sugar water and pollen patties.  The bees continue to come home laden with pollen, and I continue to wonder where the heck they're finding it!

First Planting

Yesterday I got some daylilies and a purple coneflower from Roots and Rhizomes.  Today Emma helped me plant them.  The daylilies are behind the sedum next to the garden bench, the coneflower is where the pussy willow tree failed.  It's 50 degrees outside, but still windy enough to be chilly.  Sometimes it seems like it will never warm up!

A nice day today --still a bit chilly, with a high only of 52, but nice and sunny.  The spring bulbs have been pushing up, even with the chilly temps.  The hyacinth are showing flower buds, and the glory-of-the-snow has blossoms that are open (the pink one).  I did a bit more mulching today, and I tried to get the viburnum out of the birch bed --no luck there.  I did cut several major roots all the way around, but it's got a strong tap root, and it's not budging.  It's so hard to get in there and do anything, because of all the other plants.  I'm going to see if the damage I did might be enough to kill it.

Well, we had some typical early April weather for a few days, and things are continuing to come forth.  The glory-of-the-snow that I couldn't find earlier has emerged in both places, the hyacinths are starting to push up, the lilies and the bleeding heart are beginning to show their tips.

However, today we're having another winter storm, with snow.  It was supposed to be a big storm, but on the radar now it looks like it might be breaking up.  So far, we just have a dusting on the ground.  It would be really nice if this storm wasn't as bad as they originally thought because Rob and Chris just installed new bee packages yesterday.  They have to put blankets on the new hives at night for a week.  Since the snow/rain/sleet would make the blankets wet, Rob put tarps on last night.  The less precip we get, the easier it will be for them.

Today was chilly and very windy --upper 3o's in the early afternoon.  Then the sun came out more strongly and the temps climbed all the way to 50.  The wind still felt chilly, however.  The crocus are really beginning to bloom, and this afternoon the honey bees were busily harvesting the pollen.

Still no sign of the glory-of-the-snow I planted on the NW corner, although the patch of pink GOTS near the garden bench is getting ready to blossom.

Still too chilly to do much, or enjoy it.