I took advantage of the warmer weather and played outside in the garden. It was wet and muddy but I didn't care. It felt so good to be outside and working in the yard. I finally got the rest of my bulbs planted today! YEA!!! I had already planted some bulbs in the front yard, so those planted today went in the back. I planted irises, tulips, anemones, narcissus, allium, chionodoxa ('Glory of the snow'), and crocus.
It was nice to take a long walk around the yard and check things out. I was excited to see the promise of spring swelling up in the branches of the trees.
I hope the crazy extreme weather that we have had for over a year now will subside. Our plants were damaged last spring and so much of the beauty was marred by late winter weather. I hope that doesn't happen this year.
Well, I'm sure now that the scat I saw was from a rabbit. There was more in the yard today and as I checked out the shrubs, I noticed that many of them were being pruned by rabbits.
I was reminded today of something that happened about three years ago. My neighbor behind me had planted hundreds of shrubs, black-eyed Susan's (the only flower he planted), and trees. He came to me one day while I was out and asked me if I had seen anyone in his yard clipping his shrubs. He said that a lot of the branches on his shrubs had been clipped off and were laying on the ground. I thought later that it was probably rabbits, but I've always had a funny feeling that he thought it was me. I can often be seen walking around my own yard with pruners in hand, but I promise I've never pruned anything in anyone else's yard, (not that I haven't thought about it though).
The Canada geese were going nuts today, flying en masse overhead while I was outside. I'm not sure if the warm weather had them confused, but I've never seen that many flying together before. It seemed as if they didn't know which direction to go and were flying in chaos and they were quite loud.
After working in the yard, I took Lilly for a walk. Tomorrow we are supposed to have record highs again and possible severe weather as the temperature drops and then we're back to winter weather. Oh well, it was nice just to have this small unexpected break and thankfully spring will be here before we know it.
7 comments:
I was thinking the same thing Robin. It was 71 here yesterday when the high the week before was not even 30. What gives? I so pray that we don't have the early warmth and cold snap like last spring when everything got bit and died.
Lucky you getting outside on such a nice winter day. I too hope that the shrubs and trees are forced into early buds that are ruined.
I think your last picture was of Snow Geese. What a lucky girl having all those geese go by. The spring=like weather was stirring them up.
Hey, there's no keeping us Alabama girls inside on a day like this, eh, Robin ? Your temperatures were even warmer than ours but nevertheless I was outside enjoying them as well.
Last Spring was a disaster for the garden because of the thaw/freeze cycle and I hope that doesn't happen again.
Try wrapping those vulnerable shrubs in some chicken wire to keep the rabbits from chewing them.
Can you blame the geese for being confused with this extreme weather ? I feel the same way.
Happy 2008 to you, Robin - I sure hope your weather levels out and you don't lose the flower buds again. I've enjoyed a browse through your latest posts - the photo of your cat looking in awe at the amaryllis really cracked me up.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
It's so good to see swollen buds! I guess we still have 2 1/2 months of winter left, but it doesn't mean we can't dream of spring!
Ginni
Is that a Euonymous alata with the rabbit-chewed branches? Our rabbits LOVE ours. We had quite a bit of rabbit damage last winter so we put protection around them this year. I hate it when they chew the branches off like that. They don't even EAT them!
Thanks everyone for your comments. I enjoyed the warmer days, but I'm glad that winter is back to normal, if only it wasn't quite so cold though.
Kylee, yes, it is a Euonymus alata/burning bush. I'll know next year to protect them since the rabbits have chewed them to bits. You're right, they chew off the branches and don't even eat them. It's so frustrating to see the damage they've done.
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