Still waiting....

Though I am sick of this winter (and I LIKE cold weather!) I am seeing a few things that are happy because of it. Some of my cold natured fruit trees are full of buds - so it looks like Spring will feature lots and lots of blossoms. So much died in the winter veggie garden that I no longer even go over there, which frees up a bit of time for other things.

Not even registrating on this Southern Thermometer!
But yes, my ND lilac bush is enjoying this.

I have 50+ winter sowing jugs outside. I hope they enjoy their stratification! I do believe I wil need to plant more of the spring sowing seeds later on. I would say March, but in 1960, it snowed every Wednesday in March over the entire east coast, including SC where we lived. I don't remember the temperatures as I was too young to care about that part...just was amazed at all of the snow!

Temps around here as low as 4. Snuggle down, everyone!

I can't wait til spring!
This has been a longgg cold winter.
I'm freezing my buns off down here by Augusta, Ga, and I think I am loosing some of my sweet olive bushes and gardenias.
It is suppose to warm up this weekend, and it can't come soon enough, but then, of course it is going to rain the entire time druing the warm up.
65 degrees this Sat or Sunday, can't wait.
My camellia seems to be suffering bad, I hope it makes it.
It's not a japanica, it's the other species. Sassaquana, but it looks like the cold and wind is surely taking it's toll on the poor thing.
My electric bill is going to be awful, I'm afraid to even open it when it comes.

BREMCO, Blue Ridge Electric Coop, has announced that it is temporarily lowering rates for Feb. to help customers combat their very high electric bills. Great news for those living in that service area.

I'm not a fan of winter at all. Yes, I know it helps with bug control and really sets the plants to what nature intended. But I don't like cold and hope it's over very soon!! The snow was pretty, now it can be gone and take that mud and slop with it. I'm ready for spring, longer days and getting out in my new yard and having some fun!!

I have a few wintersowing jugs outside too.

Was LOVING the brisk temps earlier this week and walked further than usual today to count snowmen before they all melt away.

Great picture of your lovely house, Lorabell. Is that your chicken?

I'm trying winter sowing perennials this year as well. Also planted peas and carrots yesterday. Brushed aside the snow and went for it. I HAD to plant something Feb 1st.
Yes, I have chickens...65 total. Buffs, RIR,s and Naked Necks. 60 girls....

...And this weekend it got up to 65!

Winter sowing works really well. I cheat a little when it comes to tomatoes, though, and bring them inside every night until temps at night are above 45.

60 hens! What do you do with all those eggs?

Lorabell,

I love the house and the chickens. I know what I want from you this year at the plant swap - Fresh eggs.

Winter sowing is so much fun. In the past I've done lots of bottles/jugs. It really works. Sunrday, I winter sowed one container of some black hellebores seeds that I got from England. I do hope they work. I've had these seeds for over a year now. After I sowed them, I realized I should have done stratification. . . . . Maybe some of our cold temps will do the job.

Looking forward to the Raleigh Plant swap in the spring. With the beautiful weather that we had on Sunday, I was dividing/moving some of my perennials (primroses and miniature foxgloves. I've done this before in the winter months and it works.

What do I do with those eggs.......Omelets!

Extras to CSA extension service

Definitely can do trades for eggs!

I'm so looking forward to the Raleigh swap as well.. Come on Spring

Lorabell,

Please look over my trade list, so that we can do trading.
Yes, I'm definitely looking forward to spring.

Heartease,

I have read that hellebores take two years to germinate, so have patience.

ncrescue,

Thank you for the information. That explains why the last time, I tried to winter sow hellebores it took so long.

I guess Winter is planning on 'sticking' around a bit longer. We've already enough snow this morning that the yard is once again white. They are calling for a major ice event here in Fayetteville.
Okedoke then...for lack of a better word that I probably shouldn't post..

Oh, and I've only 59 girls in the chicken coop...Emma ended up being Eddie.

Yep, winter is sticking around with up to 5" of snow in Winston-Salem and more on the way tomorrow. Urgggh. I'm looking forward to Spring.

About 7 in. here but the daffodils are up about 4 in.,spring ts right around the corner. yea.

I'm in the middle of SC and we got maybe 3 to 4 inches of mostly sleet. It was pretty when the snow part was falling, that was it. Now I've got a muddy wet mess. Come on Spring!!!! I am so ready for this winter to be over. At least this house has kept me busy so I've not noticed it so much.

Ooh, soil was perfect tilth today. I had to fight with myself not to do more than pull the weeds and turn the soil deeper to bring up more clay and work in the lime I put down before the snow.
Over the last two weeks I've had the tree work done. 91 trees dropped and 22 more were dead-wooded. All the pines are gone which is going to make for a brighter opportunity for landscaping and more room for the existing hardwoods to spread their canopy evenly.

I'm ready for it to warm up BUT pulling the garden weeds in the garden paths is so easy with the wet ground. Feeding the weeds to the chickens - they LOVE them - great winter supplement for the gurlz.

Here's one of our kitties...Guster...not sure what to make of it all: