Lucky, Little Blooms!

   Back in December, we had winter.  Yep!  Old Man Winter made his way this far south and dropped the temperature down well below freezing for four days.  While I do not mind cold, the garden was not too happy.  I had planted (over planted because people forgot to come get plants) cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, green peas, beets, mustard greens and collard greens.  Knowing the cold for that many days was going to wreak havoc on the plants, I spent two days piling leaves in the gardens.  I figured that covering the plants with a foot of leaves may help.  Well, it did...it did not.  Several hundred of the plants perished.  Others survived and are now doing well.  I did have to replant the entirety of the peas but they are growing extremely fast so, hopefully, peas will be on the menu soon.  

  Since the beets took a beating, I decided to plant spinach between the few survivors.  Checking the spinach seedlings caused me to find my smile for the day.  Since the nice weather has returned, the oxalis have emerged and are blooming!  I love these tiny plants so much that I allow them to grow wherever they wish...including in the beet/spinach rows.  It matters not.  

  Back years ago, Mark's grandma (Momie) showed me her lovely pot of oxalis and it was during our conversation that I learned how she adored the purple blooms.  She and I shared a good many times together and I grew to love the plants as much as she did.  Oxalis are also known as wood sorrel and bloom in some lovely colors including purples, pinks, whites and yellows.  Their leaves are what a lot of folks call "clover" when they find that "lucky" four leafed one.  Most of the time, the leaf stalk is topped with three leaves but occasionally a fourth leaf shows up!  I suppose it can be lucky if you wish since I feel lucky just seeing the pretty flowers as they tell me that spring is on its way soon.