Time & Sunshine

Cosmos and Viola seedlings are flowering indoors.

Clearly I have jumped the gun!

Three weeks after The Pretty Bad Accident, I'm feeling back to normal and ready to take on the world. This prompted a happy day of putzing in the garden.

Early spring is a favorite time. Mountain snows have disappeared from the meadow. Tiny, lime green shoots peek out of thick mud, promising colorful things to come.

I am always amazed at how much "growing" goes on beneath the snow. Oriental Poppies are 6 inches high. Catmint prouted long before snowdrifts melted away.

With the exception of the Gambler Garden, this joint is cleaned up, composted and ready for spring. Time and sunshine should do the rest.

I name my gardens. I suppose that's kind of weird but it helps me keep track of who needs water when.

There's the Impulse Garden, the Tenant Garden, the problematic Gambler Garden which requires far too much love and attention ~ though, some days in summer, it is absolutely worth the effort.

The Gambling Garden Gals are still up to their eyeballs in winter mulch. They'll stay that way for another month.

'Tis here I cheat zones by 2 ~ planting zone 7 perennials where most folks worry about zone 5. I have learned... Deep snow insulates them in winter. April is the riskiest time of all.

Everyone got into the act today, including Meg who rearranged heavy rocks to make way for new seedlings, giddy at the prospect of going into the ground.

Before I got to know horses, I never would have believed this to be true. Hold out a carrot and she really will follow you!

Tie her to a 200-pound rock, hold out a carrot and she'll still follow you! Barely noticing the mighty task I am asking of her. She dragged the big rocks to precisely where I need them to be.

Way more fun than hiring a human....