Saturday, March 20, 2010

Spring is More than a Date on the Calendar.

We have had an early spring here in the Pacific Northwest. And my abundant backyard is beginning to grow. We actually started things in January when temperatures were in the 50’s with lows of 42 degrees. I don’t believe we have seen any frost since before January 25.

In January we cut down some wild plum trees (not good for anything but pectin), trimmed the clematis on the south fence, and gave the Wisteria a haircut in hopes of a bloom here and there. If it doesn’t bloom this year then I know the 10 year old vine will never bloom. If anyone has any helpful tips, let me know.


February remained dry and warm and we chipped the tree branches, pruned rose bushes, pulled strawberries from the walkways, and planted peas outside. Inside broccoli, leeks, red onions, basil and parsley are beginning to show themselves.




March has been exceptionally warm. The peas are beginning to show and I have managed to get spinach, radishes, lettuces, carrots and walla walla onions planted. Today I planted a rhubarb start. Can’t wait for the rhubarb crisp!

Flowers are not absent from this picture. Violets are blooming. They are one of my grandmother’s favorite flowers so I always think of her. Plus she had a sister named Violet and one named Myrtle. My grandmother was named Florest (nickname Flo). So great-grandma Whitney must have loved flowers herself.


And of course my most favorite of all……my treasured bleeding heart! My sister brought me a start of my grandmothers plant several years ago. I delight in the fact that it comes out of the ground blooming.! Isn’t that the most spectacular sign of spring?






Thursday, February 25, 2010

Winter is Almost Over

Winter was busy…….no time for blogging. Time only for putting the garden to bed, finishing up the last ends of canning and beginning the season of gift making. Then on to baking and eating, baking and eating and baking and eating. In between I worked on some ongoing genealogy projects. And now as March approaches I find myself five pounds heavier and extremely lazy.


But with the proverbial February false spring, I have begun to venture outside and check the garden’s status. The garden has survived quite well. My garlic is coming along nicely. (Labeled clearly, I might add). Strawberries are coming up, and the pea bed looks nearly ready to go.


My seeds arrived last week from the seed company and my onions arrived today. I am so excited to get going! I’m sorry to say I missed the Great American Bird Count in February. It fell on Valentine’ s Day which was a Sunday and all the family was here for dinner. So next year I promise to count and I promise to let you know ahead of time.

Today the pond called for clean up. All the accumulated leaves and the overgrown shrub near the in-flow needed to be trimmed. My best friend and husband Rick put on his fishing waders and climbed into the pond to get the winter leaves and trim the shrubs. It was fun to watch the fish swim around his legs. I was surprised to see that we now have seven fish! Even after the great Heron scare!

Hope you all had a comfy warm winter. You’ll be hearing more from me as the ground thaws.