The peach trees we saw in South Carolina last week got damaged by the frost on Monday night. A report on the news said that only time will tell how much damage there is this year, but it comes on the heels of a 90% loss in peaches last year from a similar late freeze. So, it may be more expensive have a peach this year. Our apples are not budding yet, so they were safe from the cold temps. This week my little peach trees came into bloom. They are pitifully small trees, and don’t produce great fruit as they are in too much shade once the leaves come out. Still, the blooms are beautiful.
Both little trees are about six feet tall, but they are on the other side of the retaining wall, about 4 feet below.
A wider view shows how small they are, and you can see a Bradford pear tree blooming across the cove. The land slopes down to a small stream, then the next mountain rises beyond. The pear is on the other side of the stream.
Chester came for a snack early in the week, and this time sat on a tree root near some daffodils. The daffodils refused to look my direction, so I only got their backs. Later in the week, I noted that Chester now is quite obviously a nursing mom. So, we’ll have to rename her as there isn’t really a feminine form of Chester. Ideas?
A female bluebird began making regular stops at the feeder. Her mate came as well.
This titmouse was enjoying the suet cake on a cold morning.
The pink in the background is the redbud tree, just starting to bloom.
I was in a baking mood during the cold snap, and made my Caramel Apple Coffee Cake. Just click on the link for the recipe.
Then I made a Cinnamon Banana Bread. No recipe here, just use your favorite banana bread recipe and add two heaping teaspoons of cinnamon to the dry ingredients.
Tuesday and Wednesday were the final days to plant seeds in March according to the moon phases. I got out my supplies and seeds on Tuesday, and got busy.
Outside on the planting bench, I filled jiffy pots with potting soil.
While I was doing that, I got a surprise. A bluebird has selected our birdhouse for her home this year. She was busy all day nest building. I am so excited she is here. I have no idea if this is the same bird that built a nest here last year, or if it is a new one. Either way, I’m thrilled.
Taking the pots inside to the growing bench, I put seeds in the pots and labeled them with plastic knives. This year I began participating in the Henderson County Seed Library. It is in an old card catalog at our local library. You can donate seeds to it, and take seeds you might want. I picked up some lettuce seeds for a variety called Buttercrunch. Sounded good.
Some years ago, I bought a lettuce garden in a pot at a street vendor during a car show. I loved picking the fresh leaves for salads. This year, I decided to try that, and planted a small pot with three varieties of lettuce. A short time later, all the jiffy pots are planted and marked. I cleaned up the bench, and lined them up under the grow light. I have some flower seeds I harvested last year for impatiens, begonias and snapdragons. I’ll sow those directly on the ground for this year.
I had to move the last of the rocks I have for painting, so it was a good time to take them all to the outside potting bench for base coat painting. The day was warm and dry, great for drying.
I only had a bit of yellow spray paint left, and emptied the can on just one side of these.
The second batch got an off white color.
Flipping them all over an hour later, I painted the backsides off white. I’ll treat the yellow on the top like a framed area. I plan to just do some freehand flowers on these.
I was outside off and on all that afternoon painting and planting. Thank goodness this guy didn’t show up until after dinner. He was after the bird feeder, and we made some noise to get him to leave it alone. He stopped in the driveway, and I got his picture. It’s a young one, probably only a year old, about 250 pounds. Guess it is spring when these guys are out of hibernation.
My Sweet Babboo made more noise and he turned to run. He went up the mountain, and I saw him behind the fence in the back yard, so we made more noise to get him to move along.
But 15 minutes later he was back. So we scared him up the mountain again, and My Sweet Babboo took the bird feeder and suet cake down. They stayed in the basement for a few days. We put seed on the ground during the day, and hoped the bluebird could find it. I didn’t want to take a way a ready food source for her right when she is nest building.
I need to clear the detritus from the iris rhizomes, or I won’t have blooms this year. That will have to get done this week.
What is happening in your part of the world?
From My Carolina Home 
I’m gonna say Chesta is not a good replacement name for Chester so how about Chelsey?
this week is one child’s spring break so it will revolve around him, work, and taxes.
Darn that cold snap! Or is it more appropriate to wish the false spring hadn’t sprung? We had 17 days above average temps & are finishing the month below average temps. A reversal of that pattern would have worked so much better. I think Chester is one of Oliver’s children. She found out about the kind lade & new where to get a free meal. You could call her Chessie. We had a dog named Chessie, she was a real sweetie pie.
I love seeing your flowering trees. So lovely.
We are expecting a snow storm here in MN. I can’t really complain because we have had a super mild winter, but I hope it isn’t the foot of snow they predicted.
What is happening in my part of the world, you ask? In a word…SNOW! Yes, here in Wisconsin, Mother Nature is making up for lost time this winter and we are getting our winter snows now, in late March, fulfilling the prophesy…In like a lamb, out like a lion. An active rain/snow weather pattern is predicted for the next week. So, I’ve been sewing alot and will have more fabric out than in for the upcoming Stashbusters check-in. Yay!
Maybe next time the daffodils and Chelsie ? will cooperate for your photo. So nice to see the bluebird using the house you provided.
Enjoy your blog,
Alexandria
Look at that bear, wow! I bet he was eyeing your bird feeders! The peach blossoms are so pretty. I’m sorry to hear that the orchards experienced a bad freeze. That happens in Colorado on the Western Slope some years where our peach orchards are, too. Your coffee cake and banana bread look yummy! Have a wonderful Sunday, Carole!
I hadn’t heard of any damage here in the peach industry but we had a freeze in some areas last week and now Tuesday night coming up might be again – I hope our area will be ok as we get rain all day Monday and I don’t know if I would be able to protect the blueberries that are in full bloom way too early
We had frost last week on a couple of mornings. One thing we haven’t seen yet is a bear on our property. But they have been sighted a couple of miles away between the ridge and mountain. Great photos and I always enjoy your Sunday chat!
I got some planting done here…kale, onions, peas and radishes. It was a lovely morning that turned to rain (PERFECT!) in the afternoon, and snow this morning. Wet, sloppy snow, and not too much of it. Soaking in and cheering those seeds on.
We have a bluebird pair in our bluebird house. We can watch them from our kitchen window. She already has 3 beautiful blue eggs. Seems she lays one a day – we’re hoping for a 4th egg today when we check her nest. So sweet how the male is so attentive.
Spring has struggled to arrive here in west Georgia. Some lovely warm and sunny days then more near freezing temps and stormy rains.
I’m currently working on a Dresden Plate quilt. The plates were gifted to me from a friend who’s grandmother had passed. Each plate is hand pieced with such care and precision. I’ve hand appliquéd them onto a background and am currently mulling over how I’ll put them all together.
I enjoy your posts and Sunday chats. Have a lovely week.
Beautiful blooms everywhere in your mountains. It’s still winter in NW Pennsylvania. We had iced trees yesterday all day. Snow and sleet the day before. We are only 29° at 10:30 am. Sun is out beautifully though and we should rebound tomorrow.
I like the name Chelsey as well after seeing other posts. At first, I thought Celeste would be a nice name, but like Chelsey better.
We had a bear that actually bent the brake lines that my hubby had installed on our feeder as a bird perch. We had to take ours down for a while as well.
Send some of your springtime north, please Carole!
I just returned home after 5 weeks in VA, NC and FL. At least I got to see my daffodils in full bloom for a few hours. Then 17 degrees on Friday AM and 4″ of heavy wet snow from Fri-Sat knocked the daffodils flat. It was 15 degrees this AM.
How about Chelsea or Jessica for the mama squirrel?
How nice that a bluebird is making a home in your birdhouse! We are hoping for a bluebird pair here too. The name Chester reminds me of the character in Gunsmoke. The only female lead in that show was Kitty, which is probably not a good name for a squirrel! Or is it? 🙂 There is a young boy named Chester in a children’s book series, and one of his best friends is named Lily. Good job on getting your seeds planted. Would you mind sharing more information about your potting bench? Did your husband build it or did you buy it somewhere? I am considering one. Here in Ohio, we have suffered through some serious weather lately, so hopefully today will be a sunshiny day. Take care and stay safe from that bear!
Thank you.
Oh, I hadn’t thought of Gunsmoke, LOL, a reader suggested it and I thought it was kind of cute. I do want a name that is cute, not elegant or pretty like a human girl.
The potting bench came from Amazon – see This Link
I was going to say Chestina for a girls name, but I also like Chessie.
Thank you for this delightful series of photos Carole, and oh my goodness, that bear! I have enjoyed seeing all that you have been doing, a fun visit 🙂 thanks again.
Chester can be renamed to Esther. My sister
I want to get away from the Chester name all together. I’d like something cute, literature related, or movie related. Nothing so far looks like her. Fluffy doesn’t fit her either. I even looked at cat names today, and nothing fits. I’ll try to ask her next time she stops by.
Hardly know where to start – your creativity knows no bounds! Absolutely in love with your bears. The internet says “Charlotte” is the fem. for Chester but I always think of the spider! Maybe Cherise! Ohh lala! Thanks for all the wonderful photos and stories.
We’re having a cold snap here, down to single digits they say, so we are hoping the fruit trees will be all right. Nothing has flowered, but the buds are swelling, so hope they aren’t too far along. This weekend was a lot of sewing and a book recital, then the snow came making roads a bit slick.
I was going to nominate Chessie, but it’s already been suggested.
Peaches are one of the few fruits/vegetables that I can eat. I’ll have to increase my food budget! LOL!
Sorry to hear about the peach trees. Such a shame.
Good luck with all the seeds and planting.
The blooms on the peach tree are wonderful. I’m sorry about the frost — I think that happened here, particularly up north where the cherry business is. Cherries were super expensive last year and will be again, I fear. That bear is something else. I hope your bluebird will stay and find plenty to eat.
Clara? Thats a good old-fashioned name like Chester
Sounds like a productive week!! Mrs Chester since there is an obvious Mr. lurking in the woods! I think it’s time to carry a bear horn when ever you go outside to garden! I wonder what other ways there are to deter the bears? Managed to get a little sewing done yesterday, adding borders to a string block charity quilt. Will piece the back today I think.
oh dear, a bear in the gardens! He may be a young one but he is still big. Luckily no bears here in New Zealand.
Chester could be a Chelsea. Yardwork is definitely on our agenda. Keep safe from the bear!
Love catching up, but it’s been a week of feeling punk with a case of RSV (feeling a little better now, taking it easy). I agree that Chelsey would be a good new name for the squirrel. I love seeing your bluebird take up residence again (whether or not it’s the same one). Your baked goods are enticing. A few years ago my bil’s golden retriever was attacked by a bear on their property while they were hiking(a daily activity), but it was a couple months later than now. My bil was able to scare the bear enough to release the choke hold it had on the dog (the dog’s entire head was inside the bear’s mouth). The dog was rushed to the vet hospital wtih multiple punctures wounds, but survived. It was also about 250#,