Easter Greetings

Morning Visitor

A fox came visiting this morning outside my study window.  It was oblivious to me but was captivated by something under the snow because it kept pouncing and digging after something.  It never caught whatever it was and finally trotted off.

It's coat and tail were fluffed up from the cold but it was a fine specimen and it can come hunting anytime it wants to.

Then and Now

Last year at this time spring was in full swing.

Flowers were blooming.

Bleeding heart.

Daffodils.

The pond was coming to life with its ring of irises greening up and

the goldfish and cattails in abundance.

It was warm enough to do spring chores and enjoy doing them.

Even the hostas in the glen garden were up and showing their colors.  So were the ones under my study window.

But today?  Now?

We awoke to the biggest snowstorm of the winter except winter is supposed to be over.

Here's the pond.  No sign of life there.

The cattails look like Q-tips.

The perennial garden is buried.

The glen garden with the beds of hostas - just white.

And the snow continues to fall.  Prediction? 2-4 inches except we have that and more.

Here are the daffodils outside Dan's study which were set to open.

The seeds in the vegetable garden will have to wait another week or more.  I planted them on a warm day two weeks ago and I thought I had seen a few seedlings emerging in the lettuce row.  No chance of that now.

 Spring has been put on hold!

Flower Show Inspirations

There were some lovely dish gardens at the Philadelphia Flower Show earlier this month.  

They have inspired me to start some for inside.

When it warms up I'll try to make some bigger ones for outside.

I have lots of glass bowls that Dan made in his glass blowing days.

Here's one I made with three unlabeled plants possibly sedum (?) or aloe that I purchased from Home Depot for $2.98 each. 

They come in itty bitty pots.

Below is another one with two cacti and a stone plant.

Don't know if my stone plant will look like these two that were at the show.

Last year my inspiration led me to plant these aloe in wine glasses Dan had made.  They are both doing well but may need transplanting soon.

This dish garden is one I purchased at this year's show.  I hope I can keep it alive.  It likes to dry out so they told me to put a toothpick in it and water it when the toothpick dries out.

First Day of Spring

This morning in honor of the first day of Spring there was a coating of ice on the pond.



The sun was bright enough to coax the first daffodils to open.  These are miniatures that I purchased last year in the supermarket to have a touch of Spring inside.  I'm glad I transplanted them outside because they are a delight to see. 

These daffodils won't be long in opening.

Birds are busy.  This woodpecker has decided to use the fence corner to hold the sunflower seed while he pecks it open.

Crocuses are still in bloom but some are fading fast. 

Frogs have laid eggs.

Bluebirds are laying claim to the birdhouse.

A few other critters allowed themselves to be photographed.

Bloom Day

This is all that's blooming here on the Ides of March!

Wordless Wednesday - More from the Flower Show