Back to the Garden

Spring was definitely in the air today!  We have had a few sunny days throughout last week, the daffodils are blooming, as well as the crocus, and grape hyacinth.

Hubby and I were hanging out today, running errands, and we stopped in at the farm supply store.  The baby chicks were making their presence known, so we went back to check them out, they are all so cute!  The Cuckoo Marans breed really caught my eye, they are the hens that lay the dark chocolate brown eggs, I may just have to consider adding a few hens to the garden. :)

I couldn't resist bringing home this pretty pink Heather.

I also found just what I stopped in for- seed potatoes to plant on St. Patty's Day.  I picked up a large bag of classic Red Pontiac, as well as a fun purple variety that I have been wanting to try.  I am trying out growing potatoes in Potato Planter bags, I look forward to seeing how they work out.

When we got back home, the sun was still out, so I decided to do a little weeding, we have had a pretty mild winter so the weeds are everywhere, this weed below, with it's pretty white flowers, is all through my garden beds.  Luckily they are pulling out easily, but I definitely will need to enlist the whole family in an afternoon of weeding.

As I was walking through the garden I noticed the blueberries starting to grow their leaves, which was nice to see.

The kale I planted during the late summer made it through the winter, and is really taking off, I am hoping for a nice spring crop.  I also noticed a nice little patch of garlic getting going, as well as some spring onions that over-wintered.

I was super excited to find this in the store today, bundles of lumber pre-cut to make 3' x 6' gardens beds, the lumber was from right here in Oregon, and at a terrific price, I have wanted to add new beds for the last couple of years but it wasn't in the garden budget.  We decided to buy two kits, it will be so nice to have two more garden beds added this year, I look forward to modifying my garden plan. :)

The sunshine was so nice to be out in today, the decorative plum tree in our front yard is starting to put on a show with its beautiful pink blossoms.

Plum and Cherry blossoms are so pretty, and such a sign that spring is on the way.

Perfect time of year to try out the Cherry Blossom Straw Painting Craft.

I was reminded today of one of my favorite Frog and Toad Stories that I often read as a child.  A story in Frog and Toad All Year called The Corner by Arnold Lobel.  The story begins with Frog and Toad caught in the rain, and Frog tells Toad a story about a time his father, on a rainy day, told him spring was just around the corner.  Frog had wanted to find spring so the story tells of him going around corners to look for spring, and after quite a day of looking for spring, heads home, and rounds the corner to his backyard and sees his mother and father gardening, hears birds chirping, and the sun came out, spring really was around the corner.  This is definitely how it felt outside today!  Spring is around the corner, and I am looking forward to getting back into my garden!

Here is a picture from my Frog and Toad Treasury, one of my all time favorite children's stories!

Here are my Amazon links to the Frog and Toad books, perfect for story time and early readers!

What are your spring plans for the garden?