Sunday, March 25, 2012

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. 

8 comments:

  1. Aside from quilting we've been doing yard work and a big project around here. I have think I have that exact same bunny sprinkler, tho it's hard to tell from the photo.

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  3. We have had some really good weather recently and no rain so Hubby and I were out in the garden all morning, After lunch (in the garden) we went for a walk and then cut the front and back lawn on our return!! Back is killing me know but hey ho the garden looks tidier. Just need a weed fairy to come and clear away the weeds etc...

    My hubby still works full time so we only really have the weekends and often there is something on.

    I think gardens are always a "work in progress" especially at this time of year.

    Love the welcome sign. I know what you mean about the weather, my daughter was born 34 years ago on March 21st, it snowed at the beginning of April that year!!

    Have a good week, Jackie in Surrey, UK.

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  4. It looks so dry, hope you get rain soon. Wonder if your weather is permanently changing? I suppose I should appreciate all the rain we get in Ireland and our green green grass. The last photo of the lady bug is great!

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  5. Sounds like you have everything ready for spring. I will send you some of our rain! We are almost at the normal levels now for this time of year, but with the crazy summer-like winter we had who knows what this summer will bring.

    Your husband must be one good friend to be doing all that work to help out his childhood friend. I can't imagine having 285 acres to manage; it is all I can do to keep up with our little plot.

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  6. An early spring here too, but lots of moisture for us. Summers here are always so dry, we'll see if it follows the wet winter we've had. You mentioned something about Home Shows, but in Columbus, the home items are completely separate from the garden items, so it's easy to ignore the windows, flooring, etc if you want to because they are in a completely different building! I have no secret for my redbud, it just grows on it's own! It's a Forest Pansy redbud with red foliage, so maybe they grow better?

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  7. Yes indeed we had a crazy winter... I hope all this warm weather doesn't cause an explosion of evil bugs! Love the frog and can't wait to check back on your pond. I have been so tied up with my Job I have to play catch up with everyone. I'm still here just all tied up.

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  8. I can't believe how lovely the blossoms are right now! Gorgeous!
    It'll be summer before you know it, Ann. I feel your pain regarding all that grading. Argh.

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