[Diana in Wisconsin]

*SATURDAY MORNING PING*

I could not resist this gorgeous Magnolia! Mine is a gift from my BFFs when my Dad passed and is just starting to bloom and it is always in a race with the Forsythia to tell me that SPRING is REALLY here! That doesn't mean it still won't snow on either of them, though. Weather is on an upward temperature trend, so that's helping me greatly with my outdoor chores. Tomatoes sprouted in FIVE DAYS - some new record, and the pepper seedlings are poking along as usual. Spinach and lettuces are doing well in the greenhouse and I want to start more lettuces this week. Still working on the chore list that I posted last week - I was overly ambitious, as usual. Beau is at the annual Bear Hunter's Convention today, then on to his second controlled burn tomorrow for his certification in Prairie Maintenance. That guy finds the most interesting things to do with in his Golden Years. ;) I'm the total Homebody, but after decades of travel for work, enough was enough for me. I'd rather know every leaf on every tree and shrub in the house yard and stare into the eyes of an adoring puppy or steer. Heaven! Have a productive Saturday, Everyone!

[quantim]

Must be nice! Bizarrely cold and long winter across the pond, (Lake Michigan) quite surprising the Great Lakes didn’t freeze over. Hard to motivate planting seed trays though, dumped leftover flower seeds by the thousands in the woods, we’ll see what comes up. I spotted a couple trillium leaves coming up but that’s it, and the koi haven’t come for lunch either as they are moving half-dead looking still.

Good news as it finally warms up in a couple days, it will be quite the explosion this spring. Been pulling up Eastern Redbuds by the dozens as they are out of control, too bad they don’t transplant well otherwise it would be enough to make a mortgage payment or two!

[metmom]

Winter came back for another try this weekend. No snow but very cold. But things look to be turning a permanent corner tomorrow and the lows at night are not supposed to really get below freezing.

So it’ll be time to get what I can out in the garden, mostly the peas, and let the other stuff, the brassicas and lettuce sit outside and continue to harden off and get a little bigger before throwing them into the ground.

I’ll be starting some perennial flowers, too, which I’ve had bad luck with for a long time. But I’ve heard a lot about cold stratification so put the seeds in the fridge and will try growing them after that and seeing how germination goes.

[daniel1212]

Thx. 4 ping. Hoping to get tom seedlings in by 4-1, and the 1st warming trend here in MA begins tomorrow, thank God. But while fallible, the NOAAA predicts:

[MomwithHope]

I put off Menards til next week Wednesday. Hoping they will have some plants out.

[Augie]

We got a bit of badly needed rainfall here in Central Missouri Thursday night/Friday morning.

Spent yesterday on the couch after spinal injections in the morning. I’m feeling a little beat up but generally better than I was before the shots. I expect it will feel quite a bit better once the steroid meds kick in. Disability claim has been filed and everything looks good there so that’s a load off my mind. I’ll take it mostly easy today but I do hope to get a little something done outdoors this afternoon.

Neighbor kid dropped off a gallon ziplock bag full of spoonbill filets a couple days ago. I’m going to fry that up for supper this evening, along with some potato nuggets and fresh asparagus from the garden.

[Pollard]

I struck gold. Finally made it to the MFA feed store and got my Yukon Gold seed potatoes. $0.75/lb. I could resell them online for $5/lb which is crazy.