Don't let the following photographs fool you... there is still plenty of snow covering the ground here. However, today's temperature was well into the forties, and tonight the temperature will only get down into the mid-to-high teens. This seems to be the weather pattern for this week. I was a bit surprised to discover that no sap was running from the maples today, but the snow is definitely shrinking.
The chickens have been laying on and off, depending upon how cold the days and nights have been. They laid over 60 eggs in January, but dropped to less than half that amount in February, as it was so cold for so long. I am again keeping tally for March, so time will tell. I am pleased that it was warm enough to get the chicken coop shoveled out today!
These are photographs from a few years ago, and are reminders of what is to come in about two months. I love these "Spreckle" violets. They came home with me over 30 years ago... a gift from a woman whom I used to garden for. They have self-sown everywhere, and I await their blooming amongst the lilac bush and all the way down our front hill.
Another harbinger of spring is the forsythia, although we are too far north and up the mountain for their blooms to amount to much most years. (They often bear blossoms only as high as the snow that covered them during the winter months.)
Even as a child, Narcissus was one of my most favorite flowers. I do admire daffodils, but the eyed blooms of these lovely posies remain a springtime favorite.
Behold the lowly Dandelion, whose blossoms I look forward to as much as the call of the spring peepers and the first catkins of the pussywillows! I know most folks try everything to rid their lawns of these detested weeds, but I think there is no prettier sight than to see a green field full of bright yellow dandelion faces.
So, for the next few months, I shall dream of the flowers that will peek through once this snow finally melts. Yet realistically, I know that winter is not yet over, as many times we've received early spring storms in mid-March that have dumped 2 to 3 feet of snow on bare ground. Time will tell...
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