An Early Spring

I am a week behind in posting. If I am not too busy to write, I am too tired. Spring Break was not restful, nor was it really productive in getting things done in the garden. The Head Gardener, while he is retired, really isn't. He works at his his former place of employed 3 days a week, which will end July 13th. On his off days, he helped his childhood friend who farms 285 acres, doing tractor work. So working six days a week for two weeks, kept him out of our own garden. So last Saturday I went out on my own. I cleaned up the garden around the back patio, fed everybody, took stock of what I needed to move, and pruned and fed the roses. And, reluctantly, started the garden hose. While we have well water here at The Garden Spot, the irrigation pumps won't be turned on until April 2 and neither rain nor snow are in our near future.

In fact the Weather Man on channel 9 said last night that March 2012 has recorded the least amount of moisture since 1887. Can you believe it? March is supposed to be our wettest month. Our first daughter was born March 27th during the worst blizzard in 40 years, as the old timers told it (like the new grandma).

So here we sit anxiously awaiting a spring that really has arrived much too early all over the country, but with little fanfare because it is so dry. The spring bulbs are up, but I noticed that the couple of daffodils that are blooming seemed to have forced their blooms much too soon and they are misshapen. There is little that we can about the weather, but curse it, hope for moisture sometime soon, and get the out the garden hoses.

A Spring Welcome to The Garden Spot

An unfinished project that could be today's project.

Daffodils making their premier appearance, but as dry as it, I am afraid that they won't be very showy.

A new frog by the pond. He is quite heavy, I hoping that Little Miss Mother Nature doesn't decide to make him her friend and drag him off.

Favorite tool: Pinchers of Power: a line from the movie Goonies aptly describes this cool garden tool. My mother in law worked at the Goodwill and bought this bargain for us. It is just the handiest to grab fallen leaves and all of dead stuff that I cleaned out of the garden.

Another garden favorite: my little cement bunny sprinkler. It is essentially a frog-eye that stays put because it is so heavy. Badly cracked, it still works without leaking. 

Finally, a sure sign of spring: A lone lady bug crawling around under the mulch in the rose bed.

Today, we have more projects and chores in the garden, but it is a bit over cast and cool yet. Tomorrow wind, lots of wind. I hate the wind. March came in like a lion and will leave in the same temper, bequeathing her ill mood to April, I am sure. 

Spring semester at the university is winding down. We have 6 weeks left and as Robert Frost wrote: "I have miles to before I can sleep." I say, stacks of essays and research projects grade before I can garden. I wish you all a happy week and happy gardening.