Is Spring sprung?

Dare I say Spring has started to happen? We've had about twelve hours of rain and now some early evening sunlight is slanting through the clouds and patches of blue sky are visible. Most of my backyard is very waterlogged. Unfortunately, my rain barrels weren't all set up to be collecting rainwater this early in the season. Yet today, the air is much warmer and it smells like Spring! I found some miniature iris bulbs blooming already in my stump garden.

This past week, I saw "sky rivers" of blackbirds returning to the area while walking the dogs one evening in a freezing wind. A pair of cardinals have returned to my backyard, perhaps searching for this year's nesting spot. No asparagus spikes yet, although lots of daffodils, hyacinths and a few tulips are exuberantly pushing up through their protective mulch. Exciting stuff, watching my personal environment...

I have started to make lists of yard projects that will be needed before the garden growing season begins and I still have one indoor painting job to complete as well.  I must have been a wintertime slacker or very sleepy, yet Christmas doesn't seem that far past. Life surely is a great distraction.

This year I hope to increase the number of raised beds for vegetables, improve the rain barrel system, build a protective netting cage for the blueberries and continue my stealthy elimination of lawn. I am looking forward to dividing my hostas & daylilies, encouraging my climbing roses to greater heights and severely pruning a prolific wisteria which is pulling my arbor apart. My herb garden also needs some serious design help. I better remember to take my vitamins and stock up on some Icy Hot muscle rub too.