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Friday, March 16, 2012

Springtime


Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love! -- attributed to Sitting Bull

Spring doesn't officially arrived until March 20, but I decided that spring came to my little corner of the world yesterday. It has been freakishly warm in northern Illinois for mid March.  The grass is beginning to green.  And yesterday several things came together in the universe to create SPRING.

back door pansies
First, Lowe's began selling pansies -- two weeks before they originally planned to stock them.  I know the original date because I am like a drug addict for pansies in the spring.  I've been calling everywhere to find my pansy fix.  Pansies are probably my favorite flower.  Yesterday I stopped by Lowe's to make a return, and [trumpets sound] there were pansies!  Two days before, a garden center employee had all but wagged a finger at me as she told me that it was still too early and uncertain to plant pansies. Luckily, someone above her in the chain didn't agree.  Many years I focus on purples and blues with maybe some yellow mixed in.  This year I went for the whole cornucopia of color.  I put my pansies in pots all by themselves.  I've heard the whole thing about a thriller, a spiller, and Phyllis Diller (ok, not Phyllis Diller), but I really like a simple, one-flower look.  They look a little bedraggled now from the transplanting, but they'll be gorgeous in no time.  That is, if the squirrels leave them alone.  I went out a couple of hours after planting and some of the back door pansies were already on the ground.  A squirrel had dug in to search for a nut he must have buried there in the fall.

front porch pansies

Second, while I was potting up my pansies, I saw my first pair of robins.  Robins are a sure sign of spring.  The house finches and mourning doves are also back.  Third, the forsythia buds are getting fat and heavy, ready to burst into bloom before too long.

forsythia buds


Yep, more pansies, but see the
cocoa shell mulch behind the pot?

I continued with yard clean-up yesterday, raking and bagging up leaves and debris. After raking walnut leaf stems from the side of the garage, I decided to reward myself with some cocoa.  No, not to drink.  I had half a bag of cocoa shell mulch left over from last year, so I spread it on the hosta bed by the garage.  I think I've mentioned cocoa mulch before, but it is worth talking about again.  Honey child, I do love cocoa mulch! Even the leftover mulch released the faint aroma of chocolate.  I'll need to pick up some fresh bags; then I can just stand by the flower beds and breathe.


Finally, my earliest daffodils opened up.  For me, that makes it official.  If the daffodils are blooming, it must be spring.




Ah, spring!  

10 comments:

  1. Ooo how exciting! The daffodils are beautiful. I saw some little wildflowers blooming yesterday, which I thought was crazy!

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  2. I am almost to nervous to allow myself to dream! I fear snow will dump the minute I plant! But it sure is nice to see you flowers blomming. Gives one a reason to hope!

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  3. Your daffodils are amazing. Spring IS here!

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  4. Looks beautiful in your neck of the woods! Feels like it has been trying to be spring now for a month or so. Glad it's finally here!!!

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  5. Yay!! Oh, it's such a lovely time of year. I've never seen cocoa mulch here. We have the usual suspects plus something called cotton burr mulch. I think I'd prefer one that smells like chocolate!

    Dough, Dirt & Dye

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  6. Isn't it wonderful that spring is here. Everything has popped out here and I can't wait to get out this weekend and photograph it all. So glad you were able to get some pansies.
    Laura

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  7. I can't wait to start potting plants! My dogwood tree started opening up today it is always so pretty! Tomorrow will continue working on getting the deck and porch decorated! Love the pansies :0)

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  8. That's beautiful Posy. I love the way Spring has arrived so quickly for you. xx

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  9. Beautiful pots! I love pansies. Maybe next weekend I'll visit the garden center... ;-) The daffodils are blooming in Omaha too, which does seem to make it real! I'm going to have to check out this cocoa mulch. I've never even heard of that, but it sounds great! I don't really like regular mulch, so if I could trade in for something that smells like chocolate, I'm game!

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  10. We put out pansies in the fall and they last all winter here. They really explode when the weather starts to get warm.

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