Welcome May

Welcome May!

Spring is here and I couldn't be happier.

Even though ... we're still experiencing some questionable weather.

Some rainy and snowy mix with cool temps for the next few days.

But that's ok.

Because the past 4 days or so were beautiful, sunny and warm.

It was heaven!

I spent every extra minute I could in my gardens.

My hands and nails have never looked worse.

But I don't mind. In fact, it brings me joy. 

Who needs sparkling perfect nails anyway?

Spring, it's bursting everywhere.

Asian Beetles, they're everywhere too.

Life, it's vibrantly emerging.

Thank goodness.

May, it's such a welcome sight!

It's here! It's really here!

I'm still having a difficult time believing it's April.

And to think the month is almost over, it's the 24th for heaven's sake.

But every time I see the date, I do a double take.

I think "April? It's April? No, feels more like December".

Why just yesterday morning we woke up to yet another blanketing of snow.

It was beautiful and appalling all at once.

I couldn't help but think that everything must be confused.

From maple buds to birds.

They're probably wondering the same thing "Is it April"?

I made my way through the yard yesterday morning, camera in hand, 

chronicling the new snow.

Just then a flock of seagulls flew overhead.

Now there's a strange sight, seagulls and snow covered branches?

They just don't belong together.

One might think this could be seaside, someplace warm, waves splashing and sand underfoot.

If only that snow drenched tree wasn't peeking up toward the sky. 

If only the temperature wasn't 20 degrees below normal.

This could have been another scene all together, but no.

I have faith though.

I'm going out on a limb to say that this last blast of snow, was winter's final hurrah.

Spring will set in, literally overnight.

With warm temperatures finally predicted for this weekend, snowfall will be a memory.

Green will cloak lawns, trees and gardens in no time.

It's here! It's really here!

Hello Monday!

Hello Monday!

There's no cheerful 'hellos' for this week. Things are dismal around here. 

My spirit is literally being crushed by the lack of spring and I'm guilty of being a crabby downer lately.

Hello more dreary weather. Winter is not letting up.

Hello being cooped up indoors.

Hello rain/snow mix. More predicted this week. Aren't we lucky!

Hello trying to find some ambition. It's difficult to find when the sun doesn't shine.

Hello to the hope that that next week brings some happier 'hellos'! There's always a chance for some sun in the future. :)

{ linking up with the lovely Lisa Leonard for Hello Monday }

Hello Monday!

Hello Monday!

Hello spring blooming INSIDE. My forced crab apple branches are flowering!

Hello April showers. I hope they bring lots of May flowers.

Hello accomplishing some projects this week. 

I've got my mind set on finishing some memory books and photo albums. It will get done!

Hello to a miracle and prayers for a long distance friend of mine that gave birth prematurely to her daughter today at only 26 weeks pregnant. She's been on my mind all morning. I'm sending her and her family lots of prayers and positivity. Hoping that sweet baby thrives and continues to be healthy.

{ linking up with the lovely Lisa Leonard for Hello Monday }

Welcome April

Crab Apple Branches

Welcome April!

We've been waiting for you.

The snow is melting, the sun is brighter.

It's wonderful.

Maple Branches

Two weeks ago I trekked through nearly knee deep snow to clip some tree branches to force.

I gathered branches from my crab apple trees, a maple tree and some wild elm trees.

I brought them inside and plopped them into some water.

They're now budding and leafing.

So fun.

Maple Buds

It helps the soul to bring a bit of spring inside.

Soon the branches outside will be budding too.

I can't wait to see things green up.

Wild Elm Branches

I'm so happy that spring is nearly upon us.

It's so so so close.

Happy April to you!!!

First Day of Spring!

It's the first day of spring! 

The hot topic around here these days has been the weather. It's been the source of disgust and complaint. Us Minnesotans are good at that, complaining about the weather. I think most of us couldn't be more sick of hearing about winter, cold, snow and the lack of spring. But, then again, if we didn't have this to complain about, we'd just find another gripe. Am I right?

It hasn't been colder than this, on the first day of spring, for 48 years, since 1965, when the high was 15. This is what we are dealing with. Today our predicted high is roughly 21. We got additional snow a couple of days ago and it's more than 20 degrees colder than it should be. We are drowning in winter.

That aside, I hold onto the promise of spring and that warmer weather will soon arrive. Even with the extra snow and colder temps there has been signs of a thaw. In the sun, snow has been melting off the roof and from tree branches. Leaving icicles dripping toward the snow packed ground.

It will warm up, it will warm up, it will warm up. And that darn snow will melt. It WILL {eventually}. 

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING!!!

Hello Monday!

Hello Monday!

Hello getting back to our normal routine after being on spring break last week.

Hello more falling, blowing and drifting snow, that I wish I was saying goodbye to instead.

Hello first day of spring this Wednesday. Warmer weather is just around the corner.

Hello starting some winter sowing sometime this week. I'm a bit behind but it's not too late.

Hello volunteering in my kindergartener's class midweek. It's one of my very favorite things to do!

{ linking up with the lovely Lisa Leonard for Hello Monday }

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?

Hello Monday!

Hello Monday!

Hello rain instead of snow! Hurray for warmer weather.

Hello spring break! It's here and I'm looking forward to some lazy mornings this week and quality time with my boys. But trying to entertain these two rambunctious guys can sometimes be a challenge these days. If they could, they'd spend every waking hour playing video games and watching cartoons on Netflix. How did it happen, that technology became much more fun than anything else? Being cooped up all winter can make us lazy and fall into bad habits. I feel like a terrible mommy for ever letting this happen. This week, though, I'm going to attempt to reshape their interests. Good luck, right! But I have some ideas up my sleeve, things I know they'll enjoy, things that don't involve a Nintendo DS or Wii. Like painting projects, baking up a batch of cookies or two and playing out in the snow {since there's plenty of it still around}. They love when I join in and build snowmen and snow forts and I enjoy it too! It's time to unplug from technology a bit more and plug back into a creative and imaginative family life. I can already feel myself breathing calmer and unwinding. Ahhhh...

{ linking up with the lovely Lisa Leonard for Hello Monday }

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!