Every year I am overwhelmed by how much I really do love spring. Unfortunately, it never lasts as long as I would hope. There is such a short window when the weather is absolutely perfect. And I am usually so busy at this time of year that I don't get out to enjoy it with the boys as much as I would like.
I love noticing all the different shades of green as I drive down the road, especially the light greens from all of the new growth. Here in the South spring offers color everywhere you look with the blooming azaleas. My neighbor has some huge bushes in yard.
Our azaleas are pretty scrawny, but they still offer a little color here and there. On Sunday, Ryan picked two azalea flowers and presented them to me saying,
"This first flower says, 'Spring is here!' The second one says, 'I love you!'"
That little boy knows how to melt my heart.
I love the changes that spring brings to my modest gardening efforts. I do not love working outside in the garden, but somehow spring motivates me to get out there and enjoy it just a little. I love my big-leafed shamrocks and their dainty purple flowers that return every year. (We've also seen the return of a lot of little-leafed clovers in our grass, much to Brett's dismay.) And I am overjoyed that my Gerber Daisies are coming back. They looked so bad after our cold winter that I really didn't know if they would.
Over the winter we finally had success with our orange tree. Now that spring is here the tree is covered with fragrant blossoms (pictured below left). I think we will have another great crop this winter. Our pathetic little apple tree --which isn't so pathetic when you realize that this tree grew from a seed Brett planted from an apple he ate in our first apartment and transported and transplanted a few times until we settled in our own home (did you follow that run-on sentence?)--Our apple tree is also full of blossoms, though we do not have hopes for a plentiful and edible crop.
As far as my gardening efforts go, I am pleased that my two mints have returned (barely), and my garlic chives are flourishing. This year I planted more rosemary, lemon balm, cilantro (pictured below left-which is growing like crazy, much to Brett's delight), parsley, and basil. I don't always cook a lot with these herbs, but I love having good smelling plants around. Ryan has also discovered the joy of rubbing the leaves and smelling them.
I was so excited to see some baby tomato plants that are popping up from last year (below right).
This year I planted two tomato plants, a bell pepper and a poblano pepper plant, three strawberry plants, one crookneck squash, and some peas. It's not too much, especially when I compare it to Anne's impressive garden, but hopefully it is just enough for the boys and I to enjoy without being more than I can handle.
Just as I am excited about the baby tomato plants popping up, I also get excited about the promise of roses and hydrangeas in bloom.
Speaking of roses, I can't help but admire this rose bush. Not because it is a beautiful bush, but because it has determination. When we bought our house, there were three or four rose bushes in the backyard. We didn't like where they were located, and I wasn't crazy about the type of roses they were. So we decided to dig them up and plant them somewhere else. We figured, if they survive, fine. If they die, fine. They didn't die. They were just as happy in their new spot. However, after a few years I got tired of them. I still wanted the traditional roses. I told Brett I was ready to replace them. We dug them up, threw them out, and planted two new rose bushes. Evidently, when Brett dug them up he unknowingly left a part of one of the rose bushes in the ground. Don't you know that bush came back and has grown stronger than my other two? Now I can't bear to dig it up because it has proven to be such a fighter.
The weather is still cooperating, so maybe I will still get out and do a little more planting, a little pruning, and a little more weeding.
I hope you are enjoying your spring as well as I am enjoying mine.
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