Cold Returns

So, after a wonderful warm week, with significant growth and progression of pretty much everything in the yard, we have returned to late winter with temps in the high 20's last night. Had to bring in all of the plants in the greenhouse, and put the cacti in there for the duration of this cold snap. I feared that the yard plants would get frozen out, but they all seemed to have made it.

Although such temps are discouraging there is a positive side to them. It does slow down the growth of everything, and let the spring beauties show themselves for a longer time. When the spring is hot the daffodils last two or three days. This year they've been around more than a week and are going strong. The tulips are beautiful, and there are more coming on. We still wait for the burst of confident growth that will signal the real beginning of the season. But seeing the spring things for longer is not all bad. If only the bloodroot would last longer. I don't know why I love those plants so much, but I do. And they never last longer than a week, even in a prolonged cold spring like this one.

The neighborhood began cutting grass this week. Sigh. I think we will let it go just a little longer. I love the uneven quality of it now. And the violets bloom better if we can let them grow a little longer before leveling them out.