Proof!

First crocus of the season

Proof of life, that is.  Bits of spring hinted here and there.  In spite of the last wintery blast, the sun is making more frequent appearances.  And its giving off greater heat.

Yellow wildflowers called Coltsfoot and often mistaken for dandelions

Suddenly out of nowhere, there are tons of red-breasted robins pecking in the lawn in search of worms and grub.

Fresh green stuff!

Amidst all the grey decay and dead matter, new life sprouts.  Green stems and stalks break through the once frozen earth.

Tulips breaking through . . . 

I love spring!!  The promise of something fresh and new is in the air . . .

On the Farm

Gardening Tools

We're busy here on our little patch (remember when the field got plowed?).  Now we're in the process of tilling, removing rocks and mixing in soil.  It's time-consuming to get everything established, but well worth the effort (come see me in the fall when we've collected our bounty--provided the local bunnies haven't nibbled everything).

Tilling the soil

Picking out the big rocks

 And of course I have to share the apple blossoms!  We have approximately 50-60 apple trees on the property.  We've begun pruning some of the ones we'd like to bring back into production.  The blossoms have just begun to bloom--and they are just lovely!

Blossom Detail

Aren't the pink and white flowers pretty?  And everything else is slowly getting green and lush.  Thankfully this year we've been blessed with beautiful spring weather.

More apple blossoms

Have a great weekend!

Spring . . . .

Yup, spring is coming.  And although I didn't get 'round to planting bulbs last fall (too busy with the move and the unpacking), a few pretty flowers have sprouted.

Crocuses in Grass

Rest assured I'll be planting plenty of bulbs come this fall.  It's certainly been fun dreaming and planning 'bout the big flower bed out front.


I noticed a few other things growing 'round the yarn.  Don't recognize the blue flowers below.  They look almost purple-blue and are star-shaped.

Mystery Flower

And I'm not sure what's sprouting here.  I seriously doubt they're tulips 'cuz the leaves are lighter in colour and thicker . . . I'll be watching closely.

Mystery Plant

Sadly I have done little crafting this weekend (although my socks and amigurumi are almost done).  I managed to dig up a million rocks in the front flower bed; hung clothes on the line outside; finished some overdue paperwork for work and managed to finish my taxes and hubby's without having a brain implosion.


Hope your weekend was a good one too. :)

Blooming :)

They finally bloomed!  Remember those wee little green specks that were merely poking out of the ground last week?  What a difference a week makes!

Pretty in Purple

Even the temporary cold blast couldn't stop them (-12C last night and yes, that is a minus sign.  It was snowing yesterday!  I kid you not!).  My lovely crocuses have sprouted and are now in bloom.  Tomorrow should bring warmer temperatures, even if accompanied by rain.

Lovely Yellow

Spring dangles the promise of new life, fresh starts and summery warmth.  Ah, nothing like a spring day to bring on new hope and renewed happiness.  Hope you're having a good one! :)

There's Proof

Gradually the big piles of snow have melted (although there has been white stuff on the ground a few mornings that thankfully disappeared by mid-day).  The only remaining stuff is leftovers of the biggest of the big snow piles.

Leftover Snow

Spring is supposed to be here (afterall it is April), but I never quite believe it until I find some proof.  And today I actually found some proof. Viola!

Sprouting Crocuses (or Croci?)

Now it should be told that my wee front garden only recently lost the heap of snow covering it.  The front garden gets little sun (just some rays in the AM).  So my plants aren't as far along as my neighbour's.

Neighbour's Garden

Bring it on.  Bring on the Springtime! :D

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary . . .

How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockleshells
And pretty maids all in a row.

Remember that rhyme from days-gone-by?  Ahhh, to be five again . . .

Silverbells? Amidst Dianthus

Seriously, how does your garden grow?  Mine is filling in nicely, despite spring's slow arrival.  Frost occasionally greets the early riser and the wind can blow cold.  Guess I'll never get used to a Nova Scotian spring.

Bleeding Hearts

Still, that sun is glorious when it peaks out from behind the floating white fluff in the sky.  And new life sprouts with its fresh yellow tinge, unfurling and spreading out . . . 

Just enjoy whatever comes our way . . .

Blue Forget-Me-Knots

How does your garden grow?

Pretty Colours

So with the long weekend, you'd think I'd be more productive with my time . . . not so much.  Not too much knitting (and I had such high hopes).  The weather has been incredible (as in forget spring; it feels like summer!).  So we've been outdoors as much as possible ('cuz I have a feelin' it ain't gonna last).  We puttered 'round outside, cleaning off the deck, preparing the BBQ and clearing debris from the garden beds.

And much to my surprise, there was a bevy of activity in my wee garden.  My crocuses are ready to bloom--almost a month ahead of schedule!

First Crocuses

Other things are growing too: the bleeding hearts and hostas have begun sprouting, the dianthus are showing signs of life and so are the sliver beacons and aurea.

Creeping Aurea Showing New Growth

It all seems a wee bit early . . . not that I'm complaining.  I'm loving all the sunshine and warmth.  It's a welcome change from the dreary days of cold winter.

And of course, in anticipation of Easter we coloured eggs with the kids.  We usually use one of those kits sold in the grocery store.

A Bevy of Pastel-Coloured Goodness

I'm not much for wearing pastels, but I do love how the soft colours compliment each other.  Aren't they pretty?

Close-Up of Easter Eggs

The kids look forward to a visit from the Easter Bunny who always drops off a few things: some chocolate eggs, perhaps a book, a craft kit or an outdoor toy.  I look forward to a quiet and relaxing day, hanging out with all my guys.  

Bunny Friends

Hope your holiday weekend is shaping up to be a good one!

About Winter . . .

Ummm, it's not totally gone.  For some reason, winter doesn't want to go away.  In a desperate bid to hang on, it dusted us with white stuff and sent blustery winds our way.

More Snow

Here's hoping it's winter's last gasp. 

Crocuses?

Sadly my crocus buds have disappeared under a thin blanket of snow.  I hope the weather warms up again.  I'm soooo ready for spring.

Hope the sun is shining wherever you're at.

Yay, Spring Equinox!

Spring fell upon Saturday and it was the most glorious day of all!  Enviroment Canada said my area reached 12 C, but my dashboard thermostat said 19 C.  And it was the warmest it has ever been in March!  Ever.  This time last year, there was still snow on the ground.  Here's the photographic proof.

March 31 2009

See all that white stuff on the ground?  And all those icicles dangling off the lights (I couldn't remove the Christmas lights 'cuz part of the string was stuck in the snow)?  This year, no snow yet, although there's some in the forecast for later on in the week.  That can change--I hope. 

For the first time ever in March, my own crocuses sprouted!  They never EVER come up in March.  It's usually too cold or there's snow on the ground.

First Crocus Buds of 2010

It won't be long before they're blooming and looking like below.

Blooms from 2009

These beauties didn't sprout till April and it wasn't until end of month that they bloomed (photos are dated April 24).  I just love Spring!  Don't you?

Have a great week!

Maybe Spring?

It certainly feels like spring.  'Round my neck of the woods, winter dies a slow death, often bringing on a snow storm as late as the end of April (I've been witness to that).  'Course, some old-timers assure me they've seen early May snows too (usually wet snows that don't hang around much, but still . . . snow in May?  That's so wrong).

Happy to say that I've seen small glimpses of spring this week.  First, lots and lots of sunshine--and that sun is warm!  I'm hearing so many new bird calls, songs that have long been absent all winter.  I saw my first cute little squirrel scamper across the road and clammer up a huge maple tree (they hibernate, right?).  And I think I saw the first sprouts of crocuses in not one, but four  gardens (not my garden as my flower bed is still covered under a snow pile, albeit a melting one).

Crocus Buds from April 8 2009

The picture above was actually taken in early April 2009 from my own flower bed.  Mine always seem to sprout and bloom after everyone else's--probably because my wee garden sits under the shade and doesn't get much sun.

More buds

So wherever yee may be, bask in the sun's glow and savour the warmth.  Springtime will soon be upon us.

Happy days!

Spring!

There's nothing like a little bit of sunshine, even if the day is not quite as warm as it should be (we're still in the single digits here on the east coast--hopefully not for long). Spring is here. I've got proof. The snow is finally gone (yee-haw!) and I've heard the birds chirping in the morning. And there's life stirring amidst last fall's debris of leaves and twigs. Just take a gander at these lovely crocuses from my little patch of garden.

I love Spring: the promise of warmth, renewal and life returning to the earth. I've got a busy day tomorrow. Hope you have a great weekend.
:D