Warming Up With The Memory Of 2013

I sit here huddled up, wearing polar fleece and covered by a cozy blanket.

It's January 3rd and I still haven't packed our Christmas decor away.

The holiday season has come and gone.

The New Year has been celebrated.

It's been bitter cold and we're breaking record low temps here in MN.

In fact, our Governor just announced this morning that all public schools in MN 

will be closed next Monday due to dangerously cold temps. With a high of about -14 predicted.

And here I am remembering the warmth of 2013.

Gripping onto the spark of summer and the vivid, breathtaking color that comes with it.

Remembering the kind of color that lacks this time of year in the deep of winter.

I find myself dreaming of green leaves, raindrops and the buzzing of delicate wings.

It's hard to believe that all this bright beauty is buried beneath feet of snow, wrapped in the harsh hands of winter.

But it's a comfort to know that in a few months, after a long rest, the cycle will start all over again. 

Winter will lose it's hold on us. Bits of brightness will emerge and the warmth of a new season will drape over us.

Until then, stay warm my friends! :)

When Fall Meets Winter

A couple of weeks ago we had some frost filled mornings.

Then it snowed.

At the time, a lot of the trees and shrubs hadn't lost their leaves yet.

Now, two weeks later, most tress have since lost their leaves and the snow has long ago melted.

But this is what things looked like when fall met winter.

Within days after Halloween the snow fell.

Covering our poor little jack-o-lanterns.

Winter Sowing

 Last winter I tried something new...Winter Sowing.

Have you heard of it?

It's a fun way of starting your seeds outdoors in winter rather than starting them indoors. 
I've started seeds indoors many times but with winter sowing you don't have to take up space inside your house. 
It's all outside and nature takes care of almost everything for you!

 I first heard about it in 2010 on a local show, Grow with Kare {here} and {here}. 
I immediately wanted to try it but had to wait a whole year.

So I got busy hoarding lots of empty milk jugs.

Which is easy to do when you have a little guy that LOVES milk!

Once I was ready to sow my first seeds I gathered up all the milk jugs and got to work.

I poked drainage holes in all the bottoms with a drawing compass, which worked awesome. 

Then I used a utility knife to cut along 3 sides of the each jug, leaving one side in tact for a flap.
After that I filled the jugs with about 3" of soil and planted the seeds.

I planted only a few varieties of seeds at first. 
Like kale, cilantro, lavender, lupine, english daisy, poppies, sweet peas and columbine.
{I didn't winter sow all of the seeds pictured above. Some I planted directly into the garden, like the cosmos, zinnias, beans and corn.}

 Once I had the seeds planted I used a strip of clear duct tape to hold the top flap down and 
then placed the jugs on our deck on the south side of our house where there's plenty of sunshine.
Then I sat back and waited.

15 days later, this is what I had!
Lots of fresh little seedlings. It was so exciting!

Then I decided to plant more seeds like morning glories, sunflowers, pumpkins, 

snap dragons, tomatoes, parsley, basil, 4'oclocks, sage, peppers and more.

The milk jugs were taking over our deck!

Another 6 weeks passed and this is what I had in early May. 

Flourishing plants ready to be planted in the garden!

It was such a fun experience! I will definitely do it again. 

Some seeds worked better than others, so here's a rundown of how everything worked for me:

1. Kale - grew beautifully, but the rabbits devoured it once it was in the garden.

2. Cilantro - sprouted well but shriveled up once I took the jug top off in late spring.

3. Lupine - did well but didn't bloom*.

4. English Daisy - did well but didn't bloom*.

5. Poppy - seedlings did well but shriveled up once I planted them in the garden.

6. Columbine - did well but didn't bloom*.

7. Sweet Pea - did ok, not very hardy or strong looking but did bloom one small flower.

8. Lavender - did well but didn't bloom* {still smelled heavenly though}.

9. Morning Glory - all varieties did well.

10. China Rose - didn't sprout at all, I think these were old seeds.

11. Snap Dragons - did well, looked hardy and lush but didn't bloom {which I thought was weird since it's an annual}.

12. Dahlia - did well and had a few blooms.

13. 4 O'clocks - did ok, not very hardy looking but did have a few blooms.

14. Pumpkin - seedlings did well and looked so hardy but in the extreme heat of the summer they ended up dieing off.

15. Sunflowers - all varieties did well.

16. Parsley - didn't do well at all, barely sprouted.

17. Tomatoes - the plants did well but my harvest was dismal, only about 2 roma and 4 cherry.

18. Peppers - seedlings did well but, like the pumpkins, they died off in the garden.

19. Sage - did well.

20. Sweet Basil - did well.

* It's common for perennials started from seed to not bloom the first year. Maybe this summer I'll get some blooms?

Welcome March

Welcome March!

Things have been a bit gray around here.

It's the time of year when things start looking a little dingy.

But there is always hope that spring will soon arrive.

Bringing some bright color along with it.

The other morning winter had sprinkled everything with an 

extra beautiful layer of frost.

Frost ALWAYS brightens up the dullness of winter!

I heard yesterday that meteorologists consider March 1st the first day of spring.

Too bad that early March, here in MN, only reveals itty bitty pieces of spring.

No matter how small though, it feels so refreshing

to have above freezing temps and some melting snow.

And you know that with the melting snow also comes baby buds 

that will soon be bursting forth with new life.

Meteorology speaking...HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING!

Welcome February

Welcome February! 

Spring is getting just a bit closer.

It was another frigid morning here in Minnesota. 

When I woke up the outdoor thermostat hovered around -20. 

Brrrrr, right?! 

I drove my boys to the bus stop this morning. 

I'm a wimp and I don't care.

This is the point at which I usually start dreaming of spring.

Longing for melty green days.

There's something about winter and being cooped up and cozy inside that's ok, at first.

But it gets really really old come February and March.

I wish it were this green and colorful outside right now.

These are photos from last March when the world was thawing and spring was seeping out.

I'm anxiously waiting for it to arrive again this year!

Until then, I'll suck it up, strap on my snowshoes and endure the cold weather.

Hope you stay warm this February!