Dreary cold day today

My vegetable garden just waiting for me to get
busy!

My yellow columbine has some volunteer
seedlings

The flowers of the grape hyacinth are just
starting to come up. They are a bit hard to see
yet.

The flower bed on the south side of the house
is in need of some redesign this year

If you look very closely, you can see the new
asparagus coming up as well as how badly I
need to weed!

Today is cold and dreary. The temperature is only 44 degrees and the winds are up to 20 mph. I went out to take some more pictures of what is going on in the yard. While I was out there, I saw a goldfinch that was the prettiest yellow! I was surprised to see him so colorful at this time of the year (even if it is nearly mid April, it sure does not feel like it today!).


I have been watching a robin outside my kitchen window this morning. There has been a lot of activity in the large blue spruce outside the window. The birds must be getting ready to nest. It has been preening and fluffing its feathers. Probable because of the cold! The fluffing part anyway.


After I get some things done in the house, I would like to get out to my shed and pot up some more seeds and transplant some seedlings.

What's blooming today??

My daffodils bloomed today! It is so nice to see that bit of color in the landscape. They just scream spring to me. The other picture is of another crocus variety that is starting to bloom.

While cleaning out the flower beds this past weekend, I noticed that just about everything is coming up. My knock out roses have some dead that needs trimmed back, but not as bad a last year when I nearly had to trim them back to the ground. Everything that is not green is budding. This is the time of year that I am glad that I do not live further north. Ask me in July when it is a sauna outside, and I might tell you differently. The forecast is for heavy rains today. Everything will get a good soaking.

Home for a Frog

I am hoping that a frog or toad makes a home in my new container. I purchased it for a steal at Hobby Lobby for $4.

Has anyone had any success with frog/toad houses? Is there a particular way that they should face? I currently have it on the west side of the house, but think that may get a bit too warm.

Visitors to my blog!!

I just checked the sitemeter on my blog and found that people are actually looking at my blog! I am thrilled! I hope that the interest continues. Since I have just started, there probably is not that much for people to look at yet.
Leave me a comment when you are here or let me know how you found me...

These pictures did not turn out as well as I had hoped. Maybe I should have been closer up. I did notice that if I click on the picture that the picture becomes full size, and the plants are more easily seen.
Out of the seeds that I just planted April 2, I have broccoli, tomatoes, alyssum, and one pepper coming up.
I have started all of my seeds this year with my heat mat, and that seems of made quite a difference with my germination times.

Crocus

My crocuses are in full bloom this morning. I have yellow crocus that are just starting to bloom.

Getting more seeds planted

Tonight I got quite a few seeds planted in my shed. I am later than usual getting them going, but better late than never...

Here is a listing of the seeds that I started tonight:

Vegetables -
Tomatoes
Red Lightning - 2
Jelly bean - 2
Roma - 15 (I like to can these!)
Caspian pink - 2
Marcellino - 1
Yellow Pear - 1
Early big red - 2
Peppers
California wonder - 2
False alarm hybrid - 2
Jalapeno - 1
Sweet Long - 2
Broccoli - 15 I forgot to write down the variety. I will have to add it later.
Herbs
Basil
Red rubin - 2
Purple ruffles - 2
Flowers
Delphinium Pacific Giants - 5
English daisy - 7
Alyssum - 10

These are all under the lights and on the warming pad. Some of the seeds are one to two years old, so I did over plant each of my cups. I like to start my seeds in small dixie cups with 3 holes in the bottom that I make with a woodburning tool. My great grandmother used to start her seeds in dixie cups that she would make holes in the bottom with a hot nail. This is my way of continuing her legacy.

I tried using jiffy mix this year for the first time, so I will need to pot up a little earlier than I usually do. In the past, I have used a potting mix from the start with good results. I thought that I would try something different this year.