The dog got up at 5 am and said it was time for a walk. Knowing dogs as I do, I went with his suggestion. I noticed that the eagles were gone. They only stay here in the winter. If they are gone it must be spring.

Started my continuous, spring/summer-long process of mowing at 7 am. It was about 30 degrees and sunny. Hopped-on my little 3 cyl diesel John Deere and went at it. It does take forever. What I call my yard [outside observers refer to it as semi-tended wilderness] is about 5 acres. In the heat of the summer, it is a chore. This time of the year it is a pleasure.

The wild redbud and dogwood are just blooming [I live in what is called an climate anomaly; a little island of Zone 4 stuck in a sea of Zone 5; the dogwoods really struggle here]. The apricots bloomed several weeks ago. They were in full bloom when we got 8 inches of snow. It has always been that way. I cant remember a year when apricot blooms didnt mean snow. The apple and pear trees are beginning to flower. The plums are in full bloom. So are the red cedar. When the wind blows through them, the pollen comes out like a giant plume of smoke. Fish are feeding in the pond. Two geese are starting to build a nest. They are arguing with the wood ducks who are doing the same.

Just got an email saying that I have to travel this week. More time on Hawks beloved Alaska Air MD80s. :o) Hey, who cares. Spend some time out in the spring. It is a tonic. The things that are a worry in the winter dont seem so important now. Got to go to work now. See you in a week or so.

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), April 09, 2000

Answers

And then...nature dumps 2" of snow on yer head. I guess YOU don't live in the NorthEast! ;-)

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), April 09, 2000.

As my e-mail suggests, I "hear ya" on that one Kritter :) Glad you are enjoying spring Z, still a few weeks to go here. Definitely looking forward to it.

-- Michael (michaelteever@buffalo.com), April 09, 2000.

Was walking around the neighborhood in a tee-shirt yesterday-70 degrees-Looking out my window today, 32 degrees, blizzard like conditions....As T.S. Eliot said "April is the cruelest month...".

We should all take the time to infuse ourselves with spring, steep ourselves in the fragrances of flowers new life, tear ourselves away from these keyboards! Have a good trip Z.

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), April 09, 2000.

I woke up this morning to 4 inches of snow! :-( It is April 9 for gawdsake!

All was abloom in my yard, and now it's all damaged :-( jonquils and tulips, my beautiful weeping cheery tree has all the blossoms covered in heavy wet snow.

This is Philadelphia area btw, snow in April is like snow in August. Never seen this before.

-- Chris (!@#$@pond.com), April 09, 2000.

Ahh, Z1X, isn't it wonderful. As you know, I'm in Missouri too. Lake of the Ozarks BTW. It is truly gorgeous. In our yard we have dogwood, redbud and peaches blooming along with lilacs and flowering almonds.

We've had a flock of orioles move in, something we usually don't have here, and they are happily stripping the Forsythia bushes. I've planted Rosemary, Mexican Heather and Spearmint. My husband has planted more fruit trees and a new asparagus bed. My house is a mess, 'cause I want to spend all my time outdoors. Check our Lake of the Ozarks site for a visual treat of the lake and surrounding area.

My former husband was from Alaska, first in Fairbanks, and later in Ketchikan. He loved it and always wanted to go back.

Glad to hear you enjoy the spring beauty here as much as we do,

-- gilda (jess@listbot.com), April 09, 2000.

What was it the poet said? "Ah, to be in England now that spring is here." I see we are all waxing poetic "now that spring is here." I love it. And I prefer the high plains mountains with rugged winds flapping the tulips about and whisking bits of snow among the daffodils.

-- Very (Grateful@still.here), April 09, 2000.

Spring is here indeed. It's a gorgeous morning. And my lavender just started to come up.

Happy spring everyone! =o)

-- cin (cinloo@aol.corn), April 09, 2000.

cin, I'd like to plant some lavender, but there are so many varieties, I'm not sure which one. Do you have a favorite?

-- gilda (jess@listbot.com), April 09, 2000.

gilda:

Yep, I figured that out a long time ago. Great place. You know that you shouldn't advertise Missouri so much. We have become the black hole attracting folks escaping CA.

I am leaving for the land of no seasons [ie, left coast]. Lavender is hard to grow here. I will look at what variety that I establish when I return. Remember, we, in Boone County, have one advantage over you. It is called soil. :o) So it may or may not work.

Best wishes,,,,,

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), April 09, 2000.

There is an odd beauty in snow clinging to the bright green leaves of a newly bloomed weeping willow,..and sitting on the branches to highlight the pink blossoms of the cherry trees. Wish I had clicked a few digital pix for you all. It was very pretty. Even my poor little pansys, shivering and frightened, looked lovely peaking out of a snowy white jacket. Just don't go doing this again, Mother Nature, you dog you!

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), April 09, 2000.

Good morning Gilda...

This will be my first attempt at Lavender, which I chose the Lady Lavender type because the package says it grows well in pots. It did take a couple of weeks for it to come up; I was starting to be concerned. I have also planted basil, oregano, sage, thyme, chives, dill, tomatoes, and jalapenos. Can't wait to have homemade salsa, mmm. I do have great recipes for red and green salsa which I learned from a Mexican friend of mine. Let me know if anyone would like them. The secret is in the cilantro, I think, which shall be my next round of seed-sowing. =o)

-- cin (cinloo@aol.corn), April 09, 2000.

What I call my yard [outside observers refer to it as semi-tended wilderness] is about 5 acres. In the heat of the summer, it is a chore. This time of the year it is a pleasure.

I can empathize with you, Z. I don't have five acres to cut but I do have around 2 acres and it really gets to be a pain in the ass (both literally and figuratively) after a while. The reason we have so much grass to cut is that the previous owners really liked to cut it - hence we have lots of it. I'm working on letting more of it go back to nature and I'm also putting in more flower beds and expanding our garden. I'd much rather be weeding than cutting grass! ;-)

We don't have much of anything blooming here in southern Minnesota - just daffodils and crocus with a few tulips thrown in. But my peas are coming up and I realized today that I need to get the potatoes and onions out in the next couple of weeks.

Take care,

-- Jim Morris (prism@bevcomm.net), April 09, 2000.

ROFL Kritter! :-D Well now I can laugh, the snow has melted and all my blooms survived. Amazing, they were all flattened and covered, I was sure the tulips head would fall off. Those buggers are a lot more hardy than I thought!

-- Chris (!@#$@pond.com), April 09, 2000.

Z1X, I got a kick out of your post--my husband is from LA. Lots of CA folks call this home now. You're right, I shouldn't advertise. There's too many people here anyway.

I LOL when I read about the advantage you have over us--soil. Yes, that is very scarce here. I make compost all year long, but we still had to buy a dump truck load of dirt last week. Wow, dirt sure does look strange without rocks in it. But we do have beautiful rocks. Let me know about the Lavender. I'll probably have to grow it in a raised bed.

Cin I think I'll plant some of the Lady Lavender in a pot. I like potted plants in front of the portch. I've heard that homemade salsa sure beats that from the store.

-- gilda (jess@listbot.com), April 09, 2000.

Gilda:

These airport connections take the boring out of flying. Unlike you, we are still in shock. We grew up in the northeast. When we moved here we were in shock. We could only find 3 rocks on our property. We named them. They aren't real rocks. They are part of the remains of an old Inn that once stood here. Yet we value them. We remember rocks. You can go down for feet and not find a rock. If you go down far enough, ie the pond, you hit coal or oil seeps. It isn't natural Not natural Well, my flight is leaving; with or without me. Got to go.

Best wishes,

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), April 09, 2000.

I'm not really a superstitious but I had heard it is good luck to plant lavender. Rosemary by the garden gate (oh yea, I planted rosemary, i forgot), and there was one more....chamomile? I've forgotten. Anyone know?

-- cin (cinloo@aol.corn), April 09, 2000.