Mother Knows Best. . .

Winter has been long and harsh throughout the country, but Spring is coming.  Mother says so. . .

Daffodil Sprouts

I didn't plant my daffodils, but I believe they are planted a tad too deep because they are usually about two weeks behind my neighbors'.  The day before I took this picture, the sprouts in my mother's garden were already 3-4 inches tall.

A couple days later, I saw these beauties pushing through the thawing earth.

Tulip Sprouts

Now these, I planted.  Well, I transplanted them with little to knowledge of what I was doing.  I dug them up from elsewhere in what used to be a garden, and because they were either large red flowers, or the fancy black parrot tulips, I tried replanting a few.  I had mild success.  Last year they were mown down before they were 6 inches tall, so I don't even know which kind they are yet.  

While my little man and I were planting lettuce seeds for our "new" chickens in an old plastic feeder. . .

. . . we had friendly visitor. . .

Winter Sleepy Honey Bee

Now I would never encourage anyone to pick up a bee of any type, and I told my son this, but this bee was groggy.  He was also in danger of getting trampled where we were, so I picked him up, delighted in the joy of holding such an amazing creature, used the educational opportunity, and found a safe place in the wood pile to put him down.

Later, I will share some fun facts about these incredible insects.


















Remember when you're planting in the early spring that you need to protect your seeds and sprouts from frosts.  As a general rule, I wait until after Mother's Day to plant my garden.  But there are some plants that prefer the colder weather.  Lettuce, peas, and broccoli are a few. 

Even thought they like the colder weather, I still protect them.  You can let them feel the cold without having to feel the bite of frost on their delicate leaves.  I bring smaller containers inside at night and put them outside on days when it's above 40 degrees.  Larger containers get mason jar greenhouses to protect their precious goods.  When frost threatens plants that have outgrown initial safeguards, I use plastic sheets.  I don't plant anything in my garden until after the middle of May, mostly because it's not tilled until then.

So, while the cold may not yet be banished from the land, our Mother Earth promises warmth is on the way.  I will bide the time in containers and seedling pots until then.  

Enjoy the crops each season offers.