Singing the Praises of Springtime!

  I am pushing spring.  I know it.  The seeds know it.   And, yet, here I am planting anything and everything in the garden.  With each seed I drop into the soil, I hear Mom warning me that there is going to be an "Easter freeze" that will kill all of my little seedlings.  Still, I plant.  Why?  Why am I so gullible to believe that winter has left us behind and spring sneaked in to replace all of the greyness with pops of color?  I cannot help it.  When I walk outside and see peach blossoms, pear blossoms and plum blossoms, I get the sudden feeling that spring is definitely here...I hope.

  Today, Mark and I headed to the back to check the peach trees and were excited to see the forward half of the orchard was in full bloom. The back half bloomed two weeks ago and now the rest of the trees are covered in pink!  Our two little plum trees are doing their very best to keep up with the other fruit trees in the yard.  They may be small but if the number of blooms means anything, we will be blessed with at least a few delicious fruits come midsummer.  

  All of this springlike happiness cannot come and go without me getting in on the act.  My seed trays are planted with tomato, pepper and assorted herb seeds and the hardier squash have already been sown directly in the ground.  Tomorrow, I shall attempt to build the raised garden beds which, hopefully, will thwart the voles at least for one season.  I have grand plans of having a most prolific garden this year.  Bring on spring!  I am ready, Easter freeze or not!

Rainy Mardi Gras!

Talking to myself and feeling old

Sometimes I'd like to quit

Nothing seems to fit

Hangin' around, nothing to do but frown

Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.

~The Carpenters~

It has been raining..and blowing..a lot, but it is not Monday and this definitely does not have me down. I like the rain occasionally..as much as I would rather be outside, this does force me to accomplish things inside. Now tomorrow..that might be a different story..the weather is supposed to be doing the same thing as today and I might just be stir crazy by then.

I did manage to make one quick round in the gardens before the wind threatened to blow me to the next county. That run was enough to let me know that the plum blossoms may not fare so well with the storm. They look pretty ragged and with the rain..no bees so they may not have been pollinated before being blown to smithereens. The peach blossoms on the other hand seem to have set fruit before the high winds. We shall just have to wait and see on both accounts.

Back inside for the rest of the day, I thought of how the day's weather would affect the Mardi Gras Parades that would be rolling through town. Surely, people would not stand in the rain just to catch a few plastic beads..or would they? Yeah..I guess some diehards would..I wouldn't. I am just not that big of a fan of plastic beads! Now before someone decides to beleaguers me with the meaning of Mardi Gras..I know it and I admit that I used to love the parades, parties and balls..but none of this is the same anymore. There used to be a bit of chivalry or courtesy among the revelers but as I said this is a thing of the past. So I have decided that I am better off at home..besides..for some strange reason, I collect masses of Mardi Gras beads without ever setting foot at a parade. People..mainly young friends..bring me the trinkets. I imagine it all boils down to the fact that after all the hoopla of parades has passed, the allure of plastic beads, moonpies and plastic doubloons diminishes. The doodads become a nuisance so they are generously donated to little old ladies like me! Ummm..thanks..I think. Instead of beads..bring me a King Cake! Now there is something that might just cause me to revert back to being a Mardi Gras fanatic!