The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day-to-day pours out speech,
and night-to-night reveals knowledge.
Psalm 19:1-2 ESV
Winter, it’s time to say goodbye.
Spring has officially arrived and I am anxious to get out into my gardens and play in the dirt, and yet, like a guest that doesn’t know when it’s time to leave, winter lingers.
Winter, don’t forget that I was happy to welcome you with open arms in January, and February, not to mention most of March. I lovingly remember how we shared cozy times by the fireplace, hot drinks, and hearty meals. We had a lot of fun times, but I’m ready to move on.
Right now, you’re making it difficult for me to remember how much I like you during the appropriate times of the year, especially when you do that thing that you’ve been doing these past couple of weeks.
Really? Do you need to remind us with the snow and high winds, that you can change the weather around here at the drop of a hat? It wasn’t appreciated at all.
The forsythia bushes are blooming, tulips have begun to arrive in all their cheerful costumes, and the daffodils are the bright spots of happiness in the landscape.
As I look around outside, the trees no longer look brown and bare. They are now sporting their buds ready to burst, and for those that don’t flower, there is a hint of green to their appearance.
Old man winter, you gave us a pretty mild winter for northern Illinois this year, but still, it’s time for you to finish packing up your belongings and get out of town. Spring wants to move in and you are cramping her style.
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” — Audrey Hepburn
Admittedly, there are a few areas that still have a Winter vibe to them. The shelf in the corner of my living room which I haven’t yet cleaned, still shows a display of winter greens. Or how about the sofa that wears a throw that is perfect for the sub-zero temps, but thankfully, isn’t a factor anymore?
Time to wash that furry goodness, pack it away, and bring out a much lighter one to cuddle under.
The same holds true for the winter bedding.
Spring is the time of plans and projects. – Leo Tolstoy
It was getting embarrassing. It wasn’t that I wanted to have these sad, drooping reminders of Christmas past hanging around, it’s just that it was hard to force myself to get out into the cold, wet weather and deal with these issues.
I cleaned them up, but now I’m left wondering what to do with the bare containers, especially the ones that flank our front door. It’s too soon to plant things. We have had snow and freezing temps well into April, sometimes even more than a dusting of snow.
This was April 17th, 2020.
I don’t want to risk planting anything only to have it die. I know many will buy large, artificial topiaries and plop them into naked pots, but the frugal part of me doesn’t want to spend hundreds of dollars just to dress them up for a month or so. I’d rather save my money for the real plants that will show up in all of their glory in May.
In the meantime, I’m thinking that I might just go with a couple of real evergreen bushes that I can easily transfer, finding a place for them in the backyard gardens when the warmer weather arrives.
For a pop of color, I may plant some pansies around the circumference, tucked close to the evergreen bushes.
Any ideas? What do you do with your empty garden containers? Are they left bare, until spring planting arrives or do you liven them up a bit?
Around Here and There:
Many of you are enjoying the warmth already and have already started planting, but for those of us who have a little bit more time to dream about things to come, here are some fun links to check out.
I have pinned so many ideas from this blog for my window boxes and planters.
And of course, I want more of this in my yard.
Best Cut Flowers to Grow Yourselves
I have a lot of varieties of these in my gardens and want to keep them healthy and happy:
It’s always a good idea to understand the best time to plant:
2024 Planting Calendar
Short on space for gardening? Here are some great ideas.
How about a sweet little craft to decorate your indoor/outdoor table with- this is a good one. I am using beeswax when I make mine.
How to make a dried flower spring candle
DIY’s for whimsical garden areas.
DIY Budget-Friendly Garden Ideas
Have a wonderful weekend, hopefully enjoying some Spring-like weather.
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