Time for gardening. . . . . and chocolate!

 

Took some some photos of this early flowering Magnolia liliiflora

 in the garden yesterday.  One of the earliest multi-stemmed

 flowering trees in our area of the USA, it blooms from late winter

 and is a beautiful first indicator of Spring, with flowers opening 

before the shiny green leaves appear . . . . . . . I think you will 

agree it's lovely.

Today we plan to take down the birdhouse and clean it out ready for 

nesting birds this coming Spring. We were outside in balmy high 60's 

yesterday making rather a slow start cleaning up the garden. 

This week has been a busy one but we managed to squeeze in a little

 work around the front beds, mainly pruning shrubs and fertilizing the

 Spring bulbs scattered around and poking up through the leaf litter. 

Cleaned up the porch area and the small fountain in front of it 

which is now a bird bath since the motor died some years ago!  

Squirrels and chipmunks also drink there so like to keep the water

 refreshed. Took down the Valentine flag and hung this colorful

blossom and cardinals welcome flag.

Late afternoon we ended up here on the porch with a peppermint 

hot chocolate and the last of the yummy Trader Joe's choco-peppermint

 Joe-Joe's from Christmas - guess the calories worked off in the garden

 were soon replaced! Oh well that's life.

Off to the garden now, high will be 74F by early afternoon.

  Rain coming back tomorrow so we must . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . “Make hay while the sun shines"  An old saying that's considered a proverb. A proverb is an old, usually short saying that communicates good advice or something true. If you make hay while the sun shines, it means that you take advantage of the chance to do something while conditions are good.

Happy day.

Bedrooms and Birdies!

Still working on the bedroom, have to get it totally 

back together before posting any photos.

I've been framing some art to hang. Bob continues to edit

his stuff and load up his dresser drawers again!

Still waiting installation of new window blinds and

rehanging drapery panels.

Worked in the garden yesterday, a total of two hours before my lower back

 screamed "STOP", so I did rather than be in pain the remainder of the day.

At this age we know our limits!

 Beautiful day to be outside, dead headed the hydrangeas

 and daffodils, pruned climbing roses, cleaned out and filled bird feeders, 

pulled and clipped some annoying ivy, and picked up a lot of fallen twigs.

Then there was the birdhouse annual clean out ready for a new 

generation of renters this spring.

  Bob lifted it off the post and when we removed the top we were amazed, 

and thrilled, to find each of the five birdie apartments contained a nest - I 

believe two were Eastern bluebirds, the others perhaps White-breasted

 nuthatches whom I've often seen around the birdhouse in spring and summer.

Besides much grass, some twigs, and handfuls of leaves from

the Japanese acer, there were also a lot of grey and white feathers

 and a few strips of plastic woven into the nests. Just amazing how those

 little birds fit so much through those 1-1/2 inch holes. . . . . . and then

construct such soft, comfortable nests.

Magnolia liliiflora still blooming - green leaves starting to open also.

Despite all the work, I have to admit I do love my garden. . . . . and

of course my beautiful birds.

I'm in a fog!

Beyond the fog lies clarity - Anonymous

What a dreary morning it was here. 

Any color in the garden was drained by a heavy fog wet fog. 

I stepped outside with my iPhone at 7:15 AM. I could feel the moisture

 envelope me as I took a few quick photos . . . . . . . . then hurried back
 inside to flip the switch on the coffee pot.

Later:   the sun didn't shine today and more rain coming this evening.
Tomorrow cooler with sunshine - sounds good to me.
Meanwhile - the good news is Magnolia liliiflora survived last week's
snow and ice storm. . . . . . . . and is now blooming brightly.

Tomorrow is a special day for me. . . . . . . . an anniversary!