Thank you Mother Nature for a glorious weather weekend! It’s not often we, who live in the northeast area of the country, get two sunny days in the upper sixties in the early spring. This kind of weekend after a long, cold winter just sends the spirit soaring, and puts smiles on faces.
So, of course, after serving breakfast, the first place I headed was to the outdoors and directly to the shed to grab a rake and garden gloves. Like all homeowners in this “neck of the woods” know, there is much to be done in spring. The ground is thawed and all that muck of leaves and old stems needs to be cleaned from the garden beds. As those ugly brown leaves are removed so many wonderful sights meet the eye. I love the faithful spring bulbs, clusters of delicate white snowdrops, pale purple crocuses with cheerful yellow-orange stamens, and the pretty stars of glory of the snow. When I started this labor of love for the garden one loan daffodil was open in the yard. By the time Sunday afternoon rolled around the yard was gleefully sporting dozens of bright yellow blossoms!
But hooray for the perennials, the backbone of all my gardens! As I raked I could see more and more of those old faithfuls! The beebalm, the evening primrose, periwinkle, phlox and so many more, were small, green and full under their winter blankets. The perennials are the promise that there will be flowers! It was so exciting to see not only flower plants but edible perennials, too. It won’t be long before rhubarb is simmering on the stove or baking in a pie. Then there was the aromatic raking as the sage, oregano, thyme and lavender were uncovered. And so it begins, another season to play in the dirt.