The garden is still gearing up, with some things finishing their blooming cycle and others are just getting started. I still haven’t bought the forsythia I want for the circle island, and now it may once again be too late. I need to figure that out this week. This is a photo of one from a few years back, just to show you the gorgeous yellow flowers that cover the bushes in early spring.
The redbud tree is coming out beautifully, with the pink blossoms alive with pollinators.
I love the rich purple pink of these flowers.
In the basement on the growing bench, signs of germinating are showing.
Looks like I might have some lettuce this season.
Progress is fast at this stage, and soon I have green showing in almost all the pots.
I have failed for several years in a row to grow some butternut squash, but I still keep trying. I love making lasagne from it. The tomatoes are putting up leaves as well.
Outside, I have been trying to get another photo of the bluebird in the house, but she is not cooperating. I suspect she is now sitting on her eggs and rarely coming out. While I was out watching, this guy stopped by. He eats a lot from the feeders as he has learned how to cling to the suet cake cage and chow down.
And then someone else showed up for a meal. Say hello, Gracie, but don’t talk with your mouth full. George hasn’t made an appearance lately.
Yesterday, this lady came for a meal. She has been here before and ran up to the sidewalk when I stepped onto the veranda with a bit of whole grain bread for her.
While I was tossing her small bits, Gracie made an appearance for a morning meal. She got her sandwich, and took it to the base of the oak tree.
The daffodils are still blooming, and you can see the hostas are coming up now.
April’s warming days means the azaleas are coming out. The deep pink one is blooming nicely, while the white one is just starting to come out.
The deep pink is the first one to bloom each year. The white and lighter pinks will be out in a couple of weeks. When they all are in bloom, the mass of color is amazing.
The last week has been completely non-productive as I was dealing with a personal issue. But, I hope to get back to more sewing and creating this week. I’m looking forward to the guild small group Area meeting on Thursday to inspire me. Stashbusters check in is Friday, so get your totals ready. Oh, and for those playing the “S” words game from Sunday’s post, I’ll put my list in the comments today, and on our facebook group too.
How’s your garden growing?
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Check out Today’s Flash Sale at Fat Quarter Shop. April Sale 20% off the Basic of the Month Dainty Daisy by Beverly McCullough, 30% Off the Notions of the Month Triangles on a Roll, Patterns of the Month from Cluck Cluck Sew patterns, and The Perfect 5 Book by It’s Sew Emma is the featured Book of the Month. Don’t forget to see the Precuts of the Week, too!
From My Carolina Home 
Still awaiting Spring – a false one turned up in February & deserted after St Patrick’s Day. Now we’re supposed to get snow again tomorrow. Gardening is on hold, but nothing will stop the eclipse. Hoping for fewer clouds next Monday.
That forsythia and those redbuds just take my breath away. I think I missed lettuce planting season, but I might pick up some seeds! It’s beautiful, Carole.
Beautiful Spring pictures. Here in the Dakotas it warms up towards end of April. It’s my favorite season (maybe from growing up on the farm) we had baby chicks brought home from the hatchery in town. How noisy they were in the box with air ventilation holes !
Mother had the brooder house cleaned and ready with fresh straw on the floor and a heat lamp hanging for warmth. Brooder houses were round buildings so the little chicks couldn’t crowd into corners where they could pile on top of each other and smother. They grew fast and soon got their white feathers and lost their soft yellow down. Geese and ducks hatched out the eggs they’d been sitting on for 3 weeks. We penned them up until the babies got bigger.
New calves were born all year around but mostly in Spring. The new mother cows could be protective and if it was wet and cold we had to move mother and baby into shelter. Dad had a wood burning stove in the farrowing (nursery) barn to keep the newborn pigs toasty warm. They laid side by side in the straw and always reminded me of cigars in a box.
How lovely your garden will be once all plants are fully out and in bloom! Here in Wisconsin, however, the only thing we are growing is SNOW! We are in the midst of a late winter storm…snow yesterday, rain this morning, soon turning to snow in early afternoon and continuing through until tomorrow afternoon! We are in the heavy snow prediction band of 9″ to 12″. Then, by the weekend, temps will be in the 50s and it will all melt away! Such is life in the northland…winter always has one last hurrah before turning it all over to spring! A silver lining to all that snow means no travel, and more time in the sewing room! It’s even easier now that I’m retired and don’t have to go out to a job! I’m starting a fun new project this week, so “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!”. I’m smiling at the thought!
Spring in the mountain woods is grand.
Such beautiful blooming trees where you are! April is the month for that in Colorado, so we should start to see them any day now. And I finally have tulip buds showing. The flickers love to hang onto our suet feeder and eat, too – sometimes there will 5 or 6 of them vying for a spot! Hope your knees are feeling better, Carole!
First signs of spring here are always the forsythias bright yellow blooms. Our redbuds have completed their bloom time. I enjoy seeing what is going on in your neck of the woods, Carole. Happy April!
SO BEAUTIFUL! This is the harbinger of what Chicago will get – eventually! George and Gracie! Perfect! Loved that show! Thanks!
I love all your animal “pets” Carole! Great capture of that beautiful bird! Happy April!
Jenna
Spring is late getting here in Michigan but the crocus have started to pop. For your forsythias – you know thar you can cut some of the branches and shove them in the ground- they will take root. This takes patience as some do not take. but worth a try . Doing in the spring with the rains helps.
Your yard is so gorgeous. Our azaleas are over with now but waiting on the dogwoods! Hope the cold won’t ruin them.
I love your blog! My daughter is remodeling a home in Burnsville. It is so beautiful up that way! We love visiting her there. Have a great day! Helen
Your pictures made me smile. When I was growing up in New Jersey, we had lots of forsythia and azaleas. You made me homesick!
ok! City girl that I am…how do you tell George from Gracie? I have a squirrel that visits our Dec regularly and am not sure if it a boy or a girl.
About a garden, only my spirea will give me flowers this spring, but not yet. It’s barely budding. Today should be nearly 70 but can’t rule out another snow. It happens on Wyoming!