Winter just won’t totally yield to spring here in Minnesota. It reminds me of a small child who starts to drift off to nap, then wriggles, cries, and tries to stay awake one … more … minute.
Is the solution to just sit quietly and wait until sweet slumber is undeniable?
Do we have a choice?
Up next in the spring garden work is the swap out of seasonal items in the gardens. Since we are getting new roofs at the townhome this year, and the schedule is very much tbd, I will not be putting out many garden decorations there. Things that are sturdy, things I can pull back inside easily will be it. The frogs playing checkers have already found a home. The concrete welcome frog stays inside this year. So that only leaves the frog on the swing and a few little frogs. Good enough. For this year.
Every spring there comes a day when I say to my husband, “It’s time to start saving coffee grounds.” He knows why. They go on the plants in the garden as soon as the ground starts to thaw. The slugs don’t like them, the squirrels kind of don’t like them, and some people say they fertilize the plants. And they are free. And the plants have done better since I started doing that – many years ago.
Today was the first application day. I would say probably a couple more weeks and we’re done.
During the winter we have dark-eyed junkos come to visit. They seem to live in our large pine tree during the winter, as they fly in and out of there quite a bit. We love seeing them, and want to continue to encourage them to return late each fall.
We are considering adding back bird feeders at the townhouse. They need to be in the rock, per the townhome covenants, but I think we have a space.
Last fall I brought a ‘Patriot’ hosta, that was in a corner by the patio, up north. The hosta was in too much sun, and it burned every year. I am taking a chance, of course, that it will be deer food up north, but I would rather feed the deer up north than burn a hosta at the townhouse.
That corner is now open. If we put a feeder there we would, again, have our acrobatic squirrel buddies antics, but our bird feeders are already squirrel worn, and they could “spread the love” to the dark-eyed junkos on the ground.
Not a “Do” yet. Thinking we’ll wait til late next fall. Perhaps a seasonal thing. Feeders in the winter, hanging sturdy solar lanterns in the summer?
In the meantime, what should go in that corner? Not a sedum – too many bees in the fall. Not a daylily – too close to the edge and will get blown by the landscape maintenance. What is sturdy and blower proof? Maybe just a garden figurine. Now what do we have already that could be put there? Frogs playing checkers? That will do 🙂
The air at the townhouse is warming and the ground is showing. The gardens need some love. They need the bigger twigs and small branches removed, and they need the rock to move back inside the lines – haha! Luck would have it – I have time! And a need, myself, to to hang out, exactly where they are.
It’s the little things – enjoying a blue hour that gives way to a pastel sky that gives way to a gorgeous early spring day. Listening to the birds sing their first songs of the day. Taking walks around the early spring gardens and knowing a whole season is ahead – to do as much or as little as you want – and to accept that your efforts may or may not be able to be enjoyed by you and by others. More than ever, capturing the little moments and going with the flow are the current season. Planning seems to be the current fun, and flexibility seems to be the current lesson. Or are these really, truly, the big things? When you finally practice that so incredibly much continually changes, and grabbing the beauty and shedding the disappointments is a way better experience? Truly.
We’ll go with that.
This is how the season at the townhouse starts.
We will clean up, put the energy and materials in to give it a fighting chance, and then we’ll see how things progress. New roofs are supposed to be going on, smack in the middle of the very short Minnesota spring and summer. With the materials and labor realities it may end up fall. We shall see.
We’ll share the beauty as much as it occurs and survives. And look for other “little things” if it doesn’t.
It is a day to celebrate! The giant snow pile finally melted it’s last, and it looks like no blizzards in the forecast – hahaha! Wow! It was a long winter this year!
Spring is here!
Wait, another snow storm.
Yes! Warmer weather. The snow plow pile is almost gone!
Wait, an ice storm followed by more snow.
Such is a Minnesota March. But we have arrived at April! Hallelujah! Although we have had snow at the beginning of June – on the irises I was cutting to bring to our kids teachers – it is super rare. And, in fact, when we were out raking the other day, we discovered the ground is beginning to thaw and a few sprouts are starting to come up.
Over the winter up north we had a dawn and dusk deer parade – anywhere from 3 to 16 deer coming through. Usually around 9-10. We discovered their pattern and where they meet up. There were many wonderful hours of deer watching. And unfortunately one coyote, and one night yipping. The does will drop their fawns soon – always a vulnerable time. And the bucks are starting to grow their antlers – just starting.
I told my husband that for all the wonderful hours of deer watching we have had, it will be hard for me to be upset at their hosta browsing. But maybe stay away from the daylilies ok? We shall see.
Gardening 2022 has begun here. The daylily seeds have gone in the refrigerator for stratification, and plans for the garden adjustments and potential additions are beginning to take shape. This year the plan is to add pumpkin. Pumpkin (singular) you say? For sure! One 20 something pound pumpkin that will celebrate his first birthday in a few months. One little pumpkin that has diverted his Gramma’s attention just a tiny bit away from garden expansions and Grampa’s attentions as well. For instance, Grampa came to Gramma with a plan to capture rainwater from our new gutters up north into raised bed rain gardens. Oh be still my pitter pattering heart! Less watering concerns? Would that be awesome? More time for growing pumpkin ❤️
More to come. As it takes shape. You know how this goes.
In the meantime, the gardens rest. All of them are still under lots of snow.
Yes, those are squirrel tracks. But that too is a story for a different time.
A few posts ago I wrote about Talk is not Do.
Yesterday I said to my husband that I was adding Watch is not Experience.
Here’s what happened. I realized that my favorite ship was coming in to Duluth at noon. I have no idea why I love this ship so much. Maybe it’s awesome magnitude. Not sure. So I planned an impromptu day trip. I want to stop at my favorite candy store. I want to take scenic route 61. I want to tour the Duluth Rose Garden. I want to end up at Canal Park watching the Paul R. Tregurtha come in to port. I want to bring Sandy our dog.
so I finished my coffee, packed a little day bag, grabbed my coat and hat (just in case), and we headed out – Sandy in his crate (safety first), and me thinking “I might have finally lost it – what am I doing?”
We had an incredible day!!! It was not a watch other people’s adventures day. It was a “do a bunch of my own favorites” day. And when the Tregurtha came by and I stood once again in awe, and waved, and had Sandy wave his little paw wave I just experienced the moment in person. I wasn’t watching someone else’s moment. It was my moment.
