More Signs of spring on the Farm

It was another very cool morning here,  28° and today will be in the 40's.  We are waiting for another storm to move in tomorrow bringing  a possibility of 3 to 6 inches of snow.  As warm as our temperatures will be during the day I don't think much will accumulate.

Yesterday we took Sugar to the vet to have her stitches removed.  She actually got up in the truck with some nudging from us, on her own and jumped  down when we got her home.  We were very happy we didn't have to lift her 55 lbs both times.  I bought her some rawhide chews as a treat.  She chewed it all afternoon and even kept it in her mouth while she snoozed.  I caught her just as she looked up.



I managed to 'trim' my grasses before we went to the vet yesterday morning.  I used my BIL's method and it works great.  I got it  done this year before the iris got too big.  I should have done it last month though.



The day before I made the rounds of the yard looking for signs of spring and was surprised to see so many.

The bulbs in the tub are up and I can see color on a hyacinth.  I  need to plant more bulbs in there this fall.



My poor single hellebore is getting ready to bloom
I just can't get excited over this flower; maybe because there aren't enough or I need a different variety?

This is the same planter that has brunnera 'Jack Frost' coming up and a variegated Solomon's Seal.  There should be some yellow tulips but I don't see any.

These are blooms on the Korean Boxwood by the back porch.  They are very fragrant and even have a scent before all the blooms open.  I love this shrub.  It stays evergreen and seems to do very well here.



This is October Glory red maple in the west yard.  I love the brilliant red buds and new twigs.



Now I have moved into the garden proper.  This is a branch on my little plum tree; it is covered with these little ball-like bloom buds.



The groundcover is Henbit!  I need to accept it as such and appreciate it.  It will be early food for the bees.

Now I am in the berry patch and I see it needs some more pruning.



This is the year I hope to move some blackberry and raspberry starts back to the orchard.

I think this is a bud on the broken peach tree,



Now I have almost completed the circle from the back porch area, west into the garden and now back through the garden gate to the house again.

This is the Endless Summer hydrangea in front of the kitchen window.  Last year it finally did rather well, except lots of the blooms were hidden behind  the large leaves....I still prefer Annabelle,



This is a bed of vinca minor I have tried to eradicate.....I guess I will give up.  The negative is if the plant is too small the vinca can overwhelm it and you never see it.  



I  did notice I lost all my golden agastache from Kris.  They never last past a couple of years here.  I did see at last foxgloves have reseeded for me!

Pending job:

Dormant oil spray.  I worry about the pending precipitation so will research that before  I waste the spray.  I think it is the most important spray in the orchard.