February 26...... So......here we are at the end of February. This winter has brought more snow than we've had in some time and the gardens have been very well covered. Hopefully there will be no winter kill this year and all the things I transplanted in the fall will survive.

One of the disappointments this winter, has been the discovery that the plant I thought was a variegated wax plant is probably a large leaf pepperomia. The thing has sent up some flower stalks that are definitely NOT in the wax plant family, and look just like the ones on the pepperomia near-by. Oh well.....it is still a lovely plant with pale green and white leaves and red stems.

A good thing that happened this winter, is that the "Angel Face" rose that put out roots in a glass of water last fall, has three leaf buds and two of them have got some healthy looking leaves. I plan to plant it this summer and hopefully it will be true to the lovely mauve many petalled flower stem that my friend gave me way last spring. Perhaps I will even be able to grow some more branches the same way. I had read that it was possible to start a new plant this way, but had had no success until this one. I don't know if the light, temperature, and water amount were just right or if this particular rose is easier to propagate than most.







February 28 ...... I've sent my seed order away after spending quite a bit of time comparing prices in different catalogues. I would like to try a few new vegetables this year, and have decided on baby corn for stir frys,and some Tiny Tim Tomatoes, as well as Long Keeper Tomatoes. I grew some of the latter a couple of years ago with great results and had fresh tomatoes right into February. I don't know why I didn't plant any last year but was kicking myself all season.

I've ordered a few new flower seeds as well,....some red this year in a "Cardinal Climber" and "Red Cathedral Amaranthus". I feel as though I need something stiking at the front trellis as you drive in. I know I have it all planned that those beds will be shrubs and small trees, but I do want a bit of color there as well. There is a large dark pink shrub rose anchoring one end of that bed so maybe the red isn't the best choice, but I think the rose will be done by the time the others bloom.







March 5 ...... We've had no thaw this year, and the snow is still very deep. I expect there will be some flooding when spring finally gets here, though they are calling for winter conditions all the way through March. NOT a lovely thing to think about for those of us who garden.

The sun was strong enough on the weekend to have the door open for an hour or so, and Sami's cat door got its first workout of the year. She had a wonderful time running in and out and round the deck and then back in and up and down stairs. She then retird to her basket and spent the rest of the day snoring!!

The bird feeder is getting back to normal again as well. There seems to be a period when the birds are scarce and then they return. The goldfinches are just beginning to get more yellow, and I've noticed one or two Dark Eyed Junkos at the feeder, so spring MUST be coming.







March 9 ....This morning it actually smelled like spring. Glorious sun and a little finch or something singing his heart out. Couldn't see him but it sounded lovely anyway.






March 15 .... I've just been in to read what was happening in the garden this time last year. What a difference !!!!!! Last year there was hardly any snow and this year we still have three feet!!! Last year there were daffs poking through and this year we'll be lucky to see them in May!!!! On a happier note.......the birds ARE singing and the sun IS shining !!!! It does smell nice out there and Sami is sunning her fur on the deck and promising the birdies that she will be watching them. They don't seem terribly concerned and just continue pecking at the feeders. They probably know that she's not a serious hunter and just gives them a run for their money to keep them alert. Besides, it probably makes her feel as though she's actually doing the cat thing.






March 27 .... We are almost at the end of the month and I am wondering if it will go out as a lamb. It certainly has been behaving like a lion most of the time. The summer birds are beginning to return and I am sure that they are dismayed to find the ground covered in drifts of snow. There are a few patches of grass and some small swampy areas where they can congregate to find insects and water. The robins are fighting for territory already and I have heard the red-winged blackbirds in the marsh up the road.

The starlings are back in flocks and I know that they are considered a dirty bird, but they sound so cheerful. They have an amazing number of different calls and it's a fair chorus when a lot of them get together. They have made short work of the suet ball that has been hanging since Christmas with only a small woodpecker taking any notice of it. I shall have to make up another to replace this one.

The crows are in the process of building nests already and the other day there was one with her beak so full of long grasses that she looked as though she had a big walrus mustache. They are packing some fairly large sticks as well, though I am not sure where they are building. I wonder if the robin will use the nesting box I put in the apple tree last fall. They did build in it one year only to have the crows clean it out. I didn't have it in a very good place and it was too accessible. Perhaps I have it a little more protected with leaves now.