A Bit of Spring

A new week begins, a more quiet week, a more controlled week-- I am hoping. The Week that Was couldn't have been packed with much more activity. Our grandsons spent spring break with us. They are such good boys, and they are a pleasure to have around. Jacob helped me prune the roses in the courtyard, patiently listening to my moans and groans about how dead they looked.  Another great moment during the week was catching up with a childhood chum whom I had not talked to in 40+ years. We  initially reconnected through Face Book, made plans to meet up, but you know how life gets in the way sometimes. We visited on the phone, promising to get together soon, for we have a lifetime of stories and adventures to share. She has published her first book, You Fall off, You Get Back On (by Mary Stobie), so we will have lots to talk about.

Seeming slow on her feet to make a presence, once Spring, arrived, she now makes it quite clear that we will have to  work extra hard to keep her bad habits in control. I was reminded of one this morning when I went out to do the Head Gardener's chores while he took a long week end away with Jacob. With a bright warm sun, a very chilly breeze made me realize that perhaps it is too soon for Capri pants and flip-flops. And while many of Spring's babies still sleep, the wild grasses and weeds seize the opportunity to take over prime real estate in the garden .



We are wanting rain. March, typically the snowiest month of the year for Colorado, has been dry. The irrigation pumps will be turned on April 1, so we can start irrigation.  Mach did come in like a mild lion, and while it is breezy this morning, hopefully it leave like a lamb. I hate wind. 

We are so proud of our oldest grandson, a Boy Scout, a reader, and a good student. He wanted to have a cook out, so along with grandpa's supervision,  he built a great fire to roast hot dogs and marshmallows for scores.

Little brother, Nathan, and Boone, kids that they are, played in the dirt.

Without driving to the mountains, we had a great picnic and camp fire. I sat in the sun next to the fire, soaking up the warmth of both, enjoying watching the boys be boys.

In the rose garden, things are not looking much better from my lament last week.

Hybrid St. Patrick shows a bit of life this week with two new shoots. The one on the left appears to be sprouting from above the graft, while the other looks like it is too far out to be part of the hybrid. 

Not a lot of hope here for the this bargain rose planted
at the end of the season last summer. Tags still intact, I will
know what to replace.

The most of my roses still look dead. Other gardeners have complained about their roses, too. I am thinking that our early freeze last fall set them up to fail over the winter. I don't think that they had time acclimate to the cold before they went dormant. That's what I think. I've bought expensive roses: David Austins, Weeks, Jackson and Perkins register roses. Jackson and Perkins is out of business and Weeks are so expensive. Wallmart has $5 roses, but I am not in the mood right now to plant roses. I will give them some time to see who survived then decide if I will replace them. The registered roses will go on sale at the end of the season.

The week culminated with a grand birthday celebration. Oldest daughter, Heather had her 40th. Along with her husband and sister, we pulled off a major birthday surprise party, Our cars loaded with cake, food, and decorations, we showed up at her house ostensible to just hang out. We told her to go take a shower and to get dressed up pretty. She still was clueless, until guests began to arrive. The best line of the day speaking to her sister, known for her beautiful cakes that she bakes for her daughters, Heather says when she sees the 4 tiered birthday cake, "Now I know my sister didn't make the cake." Jen played along for a moment, replying, "No. I picked it up at a local bakery."

The birthday girl sports her mother-in-law's gift, a gardening hat. What a great gift with a gift certificate from a local nursery included. 

So that is the Week that Was. I hope for a quiet week. The kitchen remodel continues this week as we have a new cabinet to install and under the cabinet lighting to be selected and installed; then I think we will be ready for the granite counter top. I am excited for a new look. 

I am enjoying seeing all of your spring flowers. I am so glad to have my blog and to have you as blog friends. Thank you for visiting. Have a wonderful week.

I leave you with our favorite daffodil poem by our favorite English poet. Read it out loud.

( A quick reminder: Mosaic Monday @ Lavender Cottage. )

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

                                                                 BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

I wandered lonely as a cloud 

That floats on high o'er vales and hills, 

When all at once I saw a crowd, 

A host, of golden daffodils; 

Beside the lake, beneath the trees, 

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. 

Continuous as the stars that shine 

And twinkle on the milky way, 

They stretched in never-ending line 

Along the margin of a bay: 

Ten thousand saw I at a glance, 

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. 

The waves beside them danced; but they 

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: 

A poet could not but be gay, 

In such a jocund company: 

I gazed—and gazed—but little thought 

What wealth the show to me had brought: 

For oft, when on my couch I lie 

In vacant or in pensive mood, 

They flash upon that inward eye 

Which is the bliss of solitude; 

And then my heart with pleasure fills, 

And dances with the daffodils.