Macro Shots

That strand is part of a spider web on one of the geraniums.

Click on the full size for a closer look at the web.

The lemon tree has started to flower

tiny strawberries

Timeline So Far

For the record:

March 27 - Broke ground on the back garden with a shovel and maddock.

Planted onions, potatoes, pink and grape hyacinths, sweet peas, snow drops, and virginia bluebells (all provided by Elaine). Mom planted a few bulbs of daffodils in the front beds.

April 5 - Planted broccoli and cabbage.

Might have planted these too late - we'll see.

We have been turning and working on the soil every couple of days.

The grass and weeds are persistant.

Green Spring

As in pollen...everywhere. We woke up one morning to sunshine, balmy weather, blooming flowers, and a thick layer of green pollen everywhere. Green on our cars, our cat, on our couch in the living room through the screen! Pollen is like a nature-produced industrial chemical. Spring is not messing around this year.

Arriving

Our first two tulips bloomed today. I wish that I could sit in the grass and watch each one unfurl its flower. Does it happen slowly or quickly? Could I watch it happen gradually over the course of a sunny afternoon?

Dogwood

I almost titled this post "State Pride," but truthfully I am not very proud of our state at the moment. I feel like we are stumbling and tripping painfully backwards to a place of social and political ignorance, intolerance, and prejudice. Our state tree is quite beautiful, though.

The Tulips Will Bloom Soon

The buds are ready to open up any day.

New grass is on the way. Time to mow soon. sw

A Note on Roses

For the record...

I undertook the terrifying process of pruning our rose bushes on 3/14/10. I am certain that this will become less anxiety-producing each year as I become more confident with the clippers. I followed instructions on the internets (because you know that you can always trust the internets) carefully. I pruned the smaller (south) rose bush back more closely than the taller one. That tall one is a little intimidating! This is what they looked like a week later...

That's good, right? kj

pic captured by kj, edited by sw