Must be March

  Trout lilies are open down along the creek

First Hepatica reveal their hairy buds

Signs of spring are all around; bulbs blooming, buds fattening, birds singing.

High water from heavy rains last week scoured the leaves from the creek trails and left a slake of mud.  Now when I walk I can see the tracks of all those who use these trails; deer, raccoon, human, dog.

I flushed four wood ducks on the creek this morning, they are skittish, hard to sneak up on. They remind me it's time to start taking my binoculars with me when I walk.

 

Spectacular drifts of daffodils in the Tilley's creek bottom. 

Remnants from an old farmstead or washed downstream ages ago

Allergies are killing me, not sure from what but guessing cedars that are orange with pollen from the early warmth.  Yesterday was 78, tomorrow will be 40's with a low of 22, these mercurial shifts are hard on things.

On Monday I worked all day to plant seeds of radish, lettuce, spinach, beets, carrots, kale, choi's, tatsoi, cress, arugula, cilantro.  In a few weeks the salad bowl with be overflowing! At the same time I am harvesting spinach, kale and lettuce planted in the fall still thriving.  Dug a huge bowl of carrots too.

I also set out broccoli and cabbage plants.  Just now I covered the tender little plants with hoops and remay to protect from tonight and tomorrows cold and heavy wind and rain.

In the bedroom grow lights above and warming mats below the flats of tiny tomatoes and yet to emerge peppers.  In the living room more flats of herbs and flowers.  On the kitchen table and scattered in my office, packets of seeds, planting charts, sacks of seed potatoes.

Must be March.