Hey, Mark!!   We saw this Tiger Swallowtail flirting around your Weeping Cherry Tree when we walked the loop yesterday.  

 

The Cherry tree got a little brown during that last cold snap, but it's starting to bloom again, and the butterflies love it!!!

 

We have seen quite a few Tiger Swallowtails over the last few days.  Let's me know that Spring is here!!  YAY!!!

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

 A couple years ago we plugged mushroom spores into a white oak tree that had fallen down in a November storm.  Well, lookie what we have now:  shiitake mushrooms, ready to cook.  

 

The whole process was quite interesting, and we plugged several logs.  They have been living in the wood pile on the north side of the house since then.  No sun, but they do get rained on.  Now this one is starting to "fruit."  So exciting!!!

 

Time to make a potpie. 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

We were afraid that the Bradford Pears got burned by the cold last week, but they are blooming beautifully, right on schedule.

 

I hope your world is beautiful too, now that it is officially Spring.

 

HAPPY SPRING!!!

 

We planted seeds on March 2nd.  Look at them now!!!  The cool weather crops are almost ready to be put into individual cell packs.  Right now they are still living in the basement, because it's too cool for them outside.  

 

The tomatoes and peppers and lemongrass are coming up too, but they really want 70 degrees to germinate.  So we keep them all inside with a heat lamp under the warm season plants.

 

Last year we had such good luck with growing from seeds, we may never buy garden plants again.  

 

It is so exciting to do it all from seeds.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

Photo from The Farmers Almanac

 

If you would like to read about St. Patrick's Day, go to:  https://www.farmersalmanac.com/st-patricks-day

 

Or just go to that site and look around.  It's kinda fun.  Meanwhile, HAVE FUN, and

 

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!

 

I finished the Dragonfly quilt, making use of those cold days we stayed inside.  

 

It is 45 inches square, and will hang on the wall going up to the loft.  We can see it from the living room.  

 

I just love these colors together.  They seem to dance.

 

HAPPY QUILTING!!!

 

I couldn't remember if I showed you the rock that our friend up on Bella Vista kept seeing as a turtle.

 

She has lived here over 15 years, and every time she drove past this rock, she saw a turtle.  So we got a couple cans of green and blue spray paint and made her dream a reality.  She loved it!!!  So do we, every time we walk by it.  

 

LIFE IS GOOD!!!

 

Here's the other reason I wasn't so crazy about the snow on Saturday.  

 

I took this picture on Friday, because I knew the cold weather was coming, maybe bringing snow.  

 

The trees aren't completely bloomed out, so maybe we'll still get some peaches this year.  But probably not from these blooms.  

 

HAPPY ALMOST SPRING!!!

 

While we were all basking in the delights of Spring, seeing the trees in bud, and wearing shorts on our walks;  Mother Nature had a different idea about the end of Winter.  It is still winter.  And look what we woke up to on Saturday.

 

I love snow in the winter, but not so much after the Redbud trees have set their flower buds.

 

Hopefully this cold snap just lasts a day or two, and we can get back to the business of Spring.

 

HAPPY ALMOST SPRING!!!

 

I told you I just stick Forsythia sticks in the ground and they grow.  These are sticks I stuck last spring, and look how they are growing. They lived outside all winter, and now they are growing leaves and flowers.  Easy peasy.

 

HAPPY MARCH!!!