Merry Month of May

So, here we are, heading into Memorial Day. Earlier in the week, we had frost to the north and west. Didn't get that cold here, but there were temperatures in the 30s. Petunias and million bells didn't care, but the potted daliah has some burn on it.

Iris are blooming, more yellow this year. The daffodils have come and gone. And have been multiplying like crazy, I pulled up a clump by mistake and there were like 6-10 bulbs. I planted those two years ago as single bulbs. Insane.

Peonies are again a no bloom. I'm raising them into partially buried pots this June/July. I just don't think they like the soggy ground. I had to use hip waders in the backyard the other week. It's just that wet back there, especially when we get our April showers in May.

Rhododendrons are actually blooming this year. I think there are about a dozen flower heads. The ones I have just need heavily pruned to bloom, end of story.

Seeds are going to start going out this weekend. There are a few I ordered late and they'll get out by June. I hope to get my tomato plant and in the pot by June 1. I'm not late, if there was a threat of frost last week. I just can't be much later. ;)

Not a Trend....

So, while I was cleaning up the other day, I discovered that the one heather bush was broken. I guess it was under the weight of the snow, but there really wasn't enough snow to flatten it and split some of the trunks. Might just have been age or a disease. At any rate, I'm going to have to prune it back and remove the split trunks. Maybe it will pull through. Or maybe I'll have to find some other type of bush to put there. Hmmm....

The Difference a Week Makes

So, last Monday morning, I looked out and saw nearly two inches of fluffy snow. And it was still snowing to beat the band. In all this, I saw my poor junco buddy clinging to the finch sock to eat. The finch sock was also almost empty. Since the snow on the deck was already up to the tops of my sneakers, I just ran out with a new sock to put on the other hook. (I had gotten some spares since the one was badly patched with yarn.)

The next day, I spied my little junco buddy hopping around in the 3-4 inch deep snow. There was cracked corn spread about and "he" was sitting in one of my footprints eating, out of sight of the sparrows. Then, "he" went back to the finch sock. Silly little junco.

Now, the Thursday and Friday before that, it was in the sixties. Tuesday and Wednesday had lows in the single digits and we don't want to discuss the windchill. Friday was in the seventies and Saturday and today were flirting with the eighties. What a crazy March.

My crocus are blooming, while the daffodils are growing. I went out today to try and clean up the leaves that blew onto the patio. I also ripped up some of the old flower heads from last year. It's a shame the yard is still a swamp, I need to mow some of the grass that crept into the beds. Or rather the grass that the black-eyed susans are invading.

The fence saga. As far as as I know, nothing is being done about the fence. There are two posts that have just about given up holding onto the slats. Ten penny nails are not the proper way to secure wood structures. I'm this close to getting wood screws and L brackets to do the job right. I just have to pick an evening to brave Home Depot....

3 plants, 1 island

peonies
sunflowers
garlic.

That's all for now. Hopefully the snow will miss us this weekend. And I already miss the 70 degree temperatures from yesterday....