How quickly the weather changes when living on the high desert plains of Northwestern Nevada! The day before we left, the skies threatened the first real rain in many weeks. Today, we are going to enjoy a high of 73 degrees. Lovely in every way.
With warmer weather comes the need for water, and so the cycle begins again. Yesterday, HHH turned the water back on. For those of you living in warmer climates, that must sound strange. Turning the sprinklers on and off is part of the deal when living in snow country.
As we walked around the gardens of Winterpast yesterday, it was fun to see everything coming to life. Bulbs are beginning to sprout and will soon flower. Garlic and onions are hiding for now, but will soon emerge. The roses are beginning to push new leaves and the gardens are waking up.
HHH had decided it was time to resume feeding our bird population. With several feeding stations around the yard, it’s fun to watch the dove, quail, finches, and others return. Soon, there will be new nests and expanded families.
Unfortunately, bird seed has invited the return of the pesky ground squirrel, and so, our fight will resume. It seems we may need to deploy the “tried and true” gopher trap. Where poison fails, mechanical extermination should work. If nothing is done, the backyard may turn into one giant sinkhole from extensive tunneling.
Sadly, Oliver has forgotten the purpose for which is ancestors were bred. Badger eradication. He talks big talk about these invaders, but when it comes to chasing them away, he’s useless. Give him a toad or fledgling robin and he’ll eliminate them. The squirrel is another story altogether.
This week, it’s time to place our seedlings in 4″ pots. We are going to have outrageous flowers this year. Carnations, Lupine, Zinnias, and Hoary Stock are all inches tall. Luckily, with the cooler temps, they all survived the week without loving care. 300 little plants are just itching to get outside and begin to bloom. I must say, it’ll be hard to wait until mid April.
The plants that overwintered in the greenhouse are screaming to get out. Even though it is the end of March, indoor temperatures can reach 90 degrees. It’ll be fun to see which of the perennials will come back for another year in our growing zone. Each year, the gardens of Winterpast have more to teach.
As for our beautiful apricot tree, time will tell what kind of crop we’ll have this year. While we were bobbing about in the Pacific Ocean, there were some heavy frosts. Unfortunately, the early blooms remain on the tree, brittle and brown. If there is a second bloom, we may get lucky.
Whatever you do today, take a walk outside and see what’s new. Spring is such a wonderful time of year for new beginnings. Sunshine is good for the mind and body! Get going! The day’s a-wasting.
