Expect the Unexpected

It's been a fun weekend. I ordered a box full of vegetable seeds in anticipation of Spring planting, and I have a wish list of 13 fruit trees prepared. I learned about the art of burbling. JP and I tried salt and vinegar flavored fried crickets. This morning, we were entertained with a private oboe concert in our dining room. I strolled around Poplar Ridge with the dog this afternoon, looking for signs of Spring...and I found some!



Four of the 50-some crocuses that I planted last Fall are beginning to stretch and wake up. There are no signs of the daffodils yet, but the Bee Balm and Yarrow are already coming back in my flower bed.

Most of the long row of boxwoods that I planted last summer have buds on them. They didn't serve as a great snow fence this year. In fact, most of the time we had snow, they were completely buried. I have great hopes for next year, however.



My Harry Lauder Walking Stick has buds, so hopefully we'll be seeing catkins swinging from it before long. Both of the Maple trees I planted have buds, but sadly, only one of the ornamental Pears does. Three others appear viable, so I'll give them some more time.

At the moment, the whole first floor of the house smells of smoked meat. JP has taken our last 2 locally raised pork roasts and has been cooking them up in preparation for Lexington style barbecue this evening.

The precipitation outside the window has gone from rain, to icy rain cracking against the glass, to drifting snow flakes, to blizzard-like intensity. The yard is scattered with Robins scratching in the snow...the sight made me laugh out loud! It isn't Spring yet, but it is on it's way!