Garden Notes

It's so nice to be outside. Dandelions and violets have started blooming in our yard and several other plants are mustering their courage to do the same. There's a green halo of new leaves sprouting around the tree branches. Mama Robin is sitting on her nest which is on the ladder hanging on the side of the garage. I'll have to remember to walk around the other side of the garage to get to the tool shed so I don't startle her off the nest too often. Last year she had three very fine babies fledge from that nest. Evelyn and Dominic love to go outside to play, most especially now that another cat has decided to call the church yard home. They named her Spotty. Spotty is a good natured cat who loves to follow them around the yard and play with them. Spotty also seems to have some good hunting instincts so maybe she'll keep the church mice away too. The grass is bright and green and it's even starting to get a little shaggy too. It was perfect for hiding Easter eggs this past Sunday. The kids didn't get to go on an Easter egg hunt outdoors on Easter day but I'd promised them we could do it when the weather was better. It was sunny with a cold bit of wind to make the green seem extra crisp - perfect for hunting eggs. Spotty came along for the hunt but was a little baffled at the results. Finally the wind got the better of us and drove us indoors where further egg-iness ensued. I can't quite call it hunting for eggs - rather the kids generously spread Easter eggs everywhere, grew tired of hunting them and left them to rot (no fear, they're plastic and can last forever under the couch where they all seem to gravitate).

Now it's time to dig in the dirt and get some sunshine... hmm, and conquer the outdoors "to do" list along the way.
Of which includes:
- Transplant a whole bed of Irises
- Transplant Columbine to the back corner of the house
- Clear sticks out of the yard
- Rake the dead leaves out of the Lily of the Valley flower bed before they sprout much higher
- Burn the pile of leaves and sticks in the burn barrel
- Check the Purple Coneflowers that were transplanted last fall to see if they'll come back - very important since the bees love them
- Clean the winter dirt off the wind chimes
And the list goes on...

Hooray!!