Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.  ~Doug Larson

It was the first day I really got out in the garden yesterday...I always feel hopeful about a new season and bleak about all the work to come all at the same time! I wandered over to the garden section of the  big box store who had teased me with cool weather veggies when I drove in.  I picked up two varieties of  kale, Chinese cabbage, radicchio, and mustard to get started, oh and a flat of violas too. The whole garden sort of got away from me last year with too much school work and not enough garden time. There is a bunch of overgrowth that needs pulling. But I started with just a few of the boxes.

 

The plum is blooming its pretty white flowers which really stand out where there is no green.

 

Violas make instant cheer!!

 

The sky was glorious blue in contrast to the red buds appearing on the trees.

 Four boxes planted with a feeling of satisfaction. A forecast of cold and rainy weather for the next few days will give them a good soaking.

 

Lazy dogs pretended they weren't keeping an eye on me....

A pleasant and satisfying day spent outside. :)

In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.  ~Margaret Atwood

A Groundhog is a Rodent, Not a Weatherman

 

 

Punxsutawney Phil, the world's most famous rodent, popped out of his burrow Sunday morning and predicted six more weeks of winter, much to the disappointment of the crowd gathered at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa.  His prediction was: "A Super Bowl winner I will not predict, but my weather forecast you cannot contradict. Why that's not a football but my shadow I see, It's six more weeks of winter it must be!"

 

I say, forget the groundhog...I have evidence that spring is coming! Gorgeous spring green moss was revealed when the snow melted under the warmish 56 degree sunshine.

 

Not too far from the moss.....while slightly out of focus, the daffs are 4 inches up. Take that stupid groundhog!

 

The sunset was once again spectacular with the entire sky streaked in large swaths of pinky orange.

 

Magical....

Oh Snow!

“Snow falling soundlessly in the middle of the night will always fill my heart with sweet clarity.”  -Novala Takemoto

 

 

“The snow doesn't give a soft white damn whom it touches.”  ― E.E. Cummings

"The snow was whiter than what seemed possible." ―J. McSparin - 8th Grade

 

“Oh! the snow, the beautiful snow, Filling the sky and earth below, Over the housetops, over the street, Over the heads of the people you meet. Dancing, Flirting, and Skimming along.” -J.W. Watson

Snow Day

When all was said and done we measured just over 4 inches in our Virginia yard. The view out the kitchen window, while beautiful,  makes me long to be out in the garden covered in dirt and sweat. It is cold and will remain cold for some days to come. Perhaps when the snow is gone there will be some green poking through...one can hope.

 

Pre SNOWMAGEDDON!!!

You've got to love Facebook for providing the weather humor commensurate with the hype that has been all over the news that last 24 hours. Admittedly the south does not have the necessary equipment and salt stockpile to deal with the roadways adequately. I did wander to the beach house to bulk up the bird feeders while the temperature was 57 and the sun was shining.

 

 

My winter kale is quite happy in it's southern exposure. The camera didn't quite capture the true screaming violet color. They make me happy when I look at them.

 

 

The reliable Camellia's are blooming a pretty soft Valentine's pink.

 

The plumes of the pampas grass rustled softly in the breeze.

 I wandered to the beach...it was gorgeous! Sunny, warm.....

 A couple of our beaches regular's came down to surf for a bit.

 Dolphins were lazily surfacing in a large school of fish that had the pelicans diving.

 Loyal dog goes for swim.

 And takes a good post-swim roll on the sand.

 

Sigh....spring and summer I long for you. Meanwhile......