Does Anyone Understand Groundhog Day?

Now I don't rightly know about Punxsutawney Phil and his legend.

It would seem to me, that if Punxsutawney Phil could not see his shadow, it would be because the sun was not shining i.e. the sky would be overcast, gray, dreary signaling winter is still here and will continue for another six weeks.

Conversely, it would appear to me if Punxsutawney Phil COULD see his shadow, it would be an indication the sun is SHINING producing a very spring-like day thereby signaling spring is quickly on it's WAY.

Why is it the other way around? If it's gray and dreary, he cannot see his shadow and THAT signals spring will arrive SOON? Come on.

At any rate, I have my own system. If my plants look like this:








Spring ain't even anywhere close to bein' here. Just sayin'.

The Seeds Are Coming! The Seeds Are Coming!

That is my ode to events in American history taking place on April 18-19.

The first of my few seed orders arrived today! If the weather will cooperate and hold until Sunday afternoon, I will proceed with this seed experiment.

It may be a trifle bit difficult but you would undoubtedly be surprised at what one can do while carefully crawling around the garden in kneepads. Think being out on Army maneuvers. To motate from one garden to the next with my supplies, I propel myself around in my garden wagon with my good leg. A process of transportation that works terrific! The garden wagon contains anything and everything I might need in the course of the planting, including my fountain Diet Coke from Micky D's and my iPod. Where there is a will, there's a way and there is nothing driving me like being out in my garden doing something!

Planting may take twice as long but then in my exasperation, I remember, it is about the journey, not the finishing. Although, I would like to complete the my planting before autumn arrives! Any hole digging I will farm out to an able-bodied young man such as Brawny Boy (my son). There are a few remaining plants to move. I'd like to complete such said work before the opening of the pool in May.

Here I go! Stay tuned!

Is Spring Just Around the Corner?!

Nothing too introspective here. Just a heads up about what I saw in the garden today.

The weather has been warm the last couple of days with abundant sunshine! That kind of day beckoned me outside to do some weeding and cleanup of the debris which has accumulated over the winter. For you see, in my zone (7 with microclimates of 8 in my garden), weeds grow all winter long. Yes, I must weed in WINTER, too!!!

After weeding, I next went after the debris i.e. dead foliage, autumn leaves, and what did I find?! New growth! Already! Some of the plants poking their heads up through the soggy soil were echinacea (one even has a stunted bloom!), salvia, lemon balm, spearmint, sedum, day lilies, thalictrum 'Black Stockings', roses, hymenoxys acaulis (sundancer daisy), verbena, aster,, pulmonaria, woodland poppy, columbine, heuchera, and more that I've not noted here.

The hellebores are blooming but suffered breakage from the ice storm that roared through here two weeks ago. Hence, they are broken and sorry looking but there are a few courageous blooms to look at. Miraculously, the camellias are almost ready to pop and suffered not a single broken branch!

Speaking of the ice storm, there were other major causualties in the garden. The "Heritage" river birch has broken limbs at the top of the main trunks, a 20 year old crape myrtle was sheared in two, a blue point juniper was parallel with the ground and both of my full-grown willow oaks have severe damage that will require the work of an arborist and tree-trimmer. BUT, my coral bark japanese maple survived like a navy SEAL!

The neighborhood dogwoods did well under the weight of all that ice. Just an FYI in case you are looking for trees to plant in ice-prone areas.

So, I don't know about you but it was enough to get me excited about spring! In fact, this is the most excited I've been about spring in the last couple of years! I don't know what the new season will bring, but I am ready for whatever it is.

Let's get growing!