Wacky weather

Midwest weather continues to be all over the map... The second 55 gallon rain barrel went up last Sunday (April 6th) and with a couple days of typical April rain, is now completely full! Then we reveled in the 80F/26C temperatures this weekend; today, we have snow flurries with a freeze warning... I picked up a bale of straw at the local farm store to protect the baby spikes of asparagus from freezing. I snapped off all the edible sized spears then added a thick layer of straw, I will hope for the best by insulating the rootstock in this raised bed.

We hauled, all the sad looking potted plants placed outside for a shot of real sunshine, back into the house. A long winter in the basement under artificial lighting doesn't do more than keep them alive. Truly, only the hardy survive, since I am death on houseplants. Mostly I forget to water them, since they are out of sight, they are out of mind; my two year old rosemary was this year's casualty.

I was involved in a seamstress marathon this weekend, shortening the eight layers of tulle on my daughter's prom gown. Consequently, my plan to rake the gardens of their accumulated leaf clutter didn't happen. This turned out to be very fortuitous garden karma! My yard & gardens aren't currently as tidy as I'd like, but the plants are protected from tonight's freezing conditions. Oh, and daughter was absolutely gorgeous in her daffodil yellow gown; she looks like a breath of Spring!