I count myself very lucky. While my close friend up in New England is digging out of yet another heavy snow storm, with temps in the teens, I am looking out of the window at my drab, UN-snow-covered garden with temps in the upper 40’s, waiting for the sun to come out. I really can’t complain. And yet my gardening itch is growing daily. Last week we reached a record high of 82 degrees and I zoomed outside, furiously hedging and trimming perennials and shrubs. I wanted to get started early, for I knew the spring cleanup will be a very busy time for me. But invariably the cooler weather came in again and has driven me back inside to contemplate the veggie garden design and the plants that need to be moved, removed or just trimmed for this year.  For now I will spend a little time looking back at some pretty sights over the last couple of weeks before the weather warms up into the 70’s this weekend, when I will rush outside to continue my cleanup efforts.

Bandits at the bird feeder, the Blue Jay:

If they weren’t so freaking mean to the other birds around the yard, I could appreciate their beautiful plumage so much more.

A Cardinal contemplating a late morning dip. He looks so deep in thought….

And an American Goldfinch in winter plumage considering the same thing a little later in the day.

No hesitation here with these Lesser Goldfinches! They jumped right in and splashed around – it looks like fun!

Not too much noteworthy to see out in the garden, and for now I will cast my thoughts back to fall when the Lindheimer Muhly was in full bloom.And the butterflies were gracing the Gregg’s Mistflower. If you want butterflies by the dozens in your garden, plant this easy grower and be prepared to be amazed.

And the semi-completed island bed, which in retrospect I wish we’d made bigger. Lets hope those new plantings will survive the winter.And for a strange view of life in the garden I find this shell from a hatched Dragonfly larvae so fascinating. Can you see the top where the larvae broke out of it’s old skin, to finally take to the sky for the very first time? I wonder how that must feel.

And lastly a look at the bright and happy Orange Bells to shoo away the winter blahs: