Spring?

This is the first weekend since November that the family hasn't skiied/snowboarded and everyone is home (together) the whole weekend.  Yesterday we all slept in.  The Girl and I ran some errands while The Boy and Mr. IM worked on The Boy's science fair project.  Today after church we did a little yardwork, trying to get the place in shape for planting in the next couple weeks.

 In the continuing saga of the pallets, here are four new planter boxes, designed to mount to the fence.  They hold small flower pots, or can have a bottom put in to hold dirt.

 The front yard looks better--we cut back the old growth (from last summer) on the butterfly bushes and removed some leaves and trash from around the daisies and roses.  The shrubby things (what are they called?) have been trimmed, so our neighbor can get into his driveway and we can get to the side gate.

 The maple tree definitely has some buds!  The grassy area beyond the tree is on the list of "things to deal with".  We need to install a better drainage system and probably remove the sod and put in some kind of rock (there is a ton in the side yard that can be used for something).

 And the lovely ground cover (that eventually will be the setting for the fairy village, with little white flowers) has started growing.

 Inside, we're trying to get the garden going.  I think the greenhouse was too wet, so some of the plants were moved into slightly bigger pots--so far we have okra, tomatoes, yellow squash, jalapenos, banana peppers, and some flowers.  The cucumber seeds are not cooperating, but I will try again after the greenhouse dries out a bit.

 I transferred some of the flowers (they are a sad little group) into a flower pot that can go outside eventually.  In other news, my cactuses look good...

 Outside things still look pretty blah--we did harvest some dirt from the composter and toss it on the garden.  No sign that the peas and lettuce planted last week before the snow are growing...they may be a wash.  The yucca plants are showing a little new growth.  I cut back the mums, we'll see if they come back.

 I do have some produce (or will soon!)--spinach!!

 And scallions....lots of scallions...in fact, they have escaped their fence there are so many.

 We were worried about the apple tree--Liberty has spent the winter trying to dig it up--but there are buds.  We staked it (it was leaning) and are hoping for the best.

 The cherry tree has a few small buds--no leaves yet, but buds...

 and the peach tree has lots of leaves!  You can also see the side yard, which is on the list of projects to deal with...someday...maybe this summer, maybe not.

 The duck family is happily strolling through the garden--the lavender bushes are starting to leaf!

 The little pine trees seem to have survived another winter.  We started with five and now have four, but they look pretty good.

 Mr. IM discovered that these pots will fit in the new planter, so I will be on the lookout for more so that I can still have flowers  by my sink window/tiki bar.







And here we have the dilemma of the day--a brave little plant growing up through the patio pavers.  It is so cute I want to let it grow...but I don't need anything else making the stones uneven...eesh.

Since we've started working on the yard it is a guarantee we'll have one more snowstorm--maybe if it is a big enough storm we'll have a snow day and I'll get the pantry cleaned!