April Fools On The 11th?!?!

Hey, what gives?!

It's April 11, why am I waking up this morning to this?!

Boy-O-Boy, Mother Nature sure is pissed...

Thankfully this won't last the day, as temps are expected to rise to mid-40's, which is still WTF at this time of year.

I'm heading out to work shortly and fully expect it to be a chilly day; morning at least, and a cold drive in the ole postal LLV truck.

It's Blooming Time!

Must be spring as my snowdrops and crocus are in full bloom, with my tulips, daffodils and hyacinth's poking through the soil and on their way!

Think Pink!

My peach tree is loaded with blossoms this year and looks terrific!  I took this picture a couple days ago, the blossoms have popped even more and is fuller today.  Too bad these flowers don't last very long.

Guess What Time It Is!

Saturday morning is errand day and this morning was no different, as I made 6 separate stops, and back home before 10AM!

Today was a good day in terms of most of the people I encountered were pleasant.  Must be something in the air because I found it unusual but it was a welcome change.  Regardless, I loathe most people, so the less I need to see and interact with them the better!

I picked up the following at one of my stops.  Seems I have my work cut out for me - 

I will be heading out shortly to get the lime spread.  I really should have my soil tested but until then I'm hoping the lime will help reduce the moss that's creeping in everywhere.

I'll put the Scotts Step1 fertilizer down in the next week or two.

And were off, happy spring!

Counting The Days!

I'm thinking Spring!

Conjuring Spring!

C'mon Spring!

"Springing" Up!

Crazy New England weather per usual!

Last weekend it was in the single digits cold and minus zero with the wind-chill., brrr!

Friday we hit 60 degrees in Boston

Here it is Feb 12 and the spring flowers are starting to poke their heads out here at the ole homestead!

Snowdrop -

Hyacinth -

Crocus -

A Yellow Pollen Blanket

I took this picture last week when I went for a lunchtime walk.  It's a small pond at the office.  It shows you just how bad the pollen has been this season!  A thick blanket covering everything, and with the lack of rain we've had this spring, it's lingering.  Looking for a good drenching to wash this all off and away.

Spring Has Sprung, Hooray!

Although, slowly spring has sprung!

Snowdrops are popping up -

Crocuses too are showing their colors -

Where's My Ice Scraper?!

A frosty morning in mid-April!

UGH, c'mon Spring where are you?

Even the Robin, standing on one foot and shivering, wasn't too happy.

Spring Is Here!

Speaks for itself!!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho...

Spent this past Saturday in the yard - welcome Spring!

Pulled the lawn and patio furniture out of storage and washed, did some raking and turned our raised garden beds.

Love this time of year, and once I can stand straight again and tie my boots I'll be back at it...

You're A Peach Hon!

Our peach tree, which the previous homeowners planted many, many years ago, is hanging on and like clock work presented us with some beautiful flowers this Spring.  It suffers from a couple diseases that I'm aware of and maybe more - Gummosis and peach scab (aka "freckles"), and sadly doesn't produce as many peach as it had years ago.  I faithful prune it each year to remove the affected limbs but in doing so the tree is slowly becoming a Charlie Brown type tree.

Spring Signs

The weather here in New England has been as crazy as ever!  We've hit new record highs in the mid-sixties and near record lows, all within a couple days of each other.  Ah, good ole New England!

The warmer temps have certainly had an effect on everybody and everything!

Two nights ago, when the temps were in the 50's, you could hear the Spring Peepers singing away down back.  One of my all time favorites!

The Snowdrops have popped up too, seemingly overnight, and dot the drab winter colors throughout our property.

Throwback Monday

A Spring Monday morning snowstorm.

Of course Emile's project was due that day.  Lugging a big box on the bus is tough enough without the snowy, wet and slippery conditions.

On snowy days all buses are required to pickup all riders wherever they're standing, so on this day Emilie was picked up at the end of our driveway.

#TBM

Ooopsie!

Spring if finally here, yippee!!

Wait What?!

I took this picture yesterday, December 18, 2015.

The weather has been so mild here in New England thus far that this tree is thinking it's Spring and has begun to bloom!

I've noticed other trees also budding up.

Oh, they're in for surprise here shortly.  This weather can not and will not last.

Until then, we'll all take it because it's great!

Spring Flowers

The Bleeding Hearts are popping around here!

High and Tight?!

 The darn deer are quickly wearing out their Spring welcome here at the ole homestead!

As you can see from the pictures below, they've eaten the tops right off the hosta plants that were beginning to peak through the soil.  They're essentially all been given a military type haircut.

These are just a couple examples of the damage they've already done, UGH!

You can clearly see their hoof marks as they trudge through the flower beds nibbling away.

We enjoy their visits but only when they're in the neighbors yard and eating their plants, haha.

The Grass Is Always Greener

More spring cleanup and lawn progress made over the last couple of days!

• Picked up lawn fertilizer, four bags; Scott's 4-step program (15,000 sq ft bags)
• Pulled my lawn tractor out of winter storage from my neighbors shed
• De-thatched the entire lawn
• Lowered the lawn tractor blade and mowed the entire lawn, with the primary goal to pick up the mountains of thatch pulled from the yard.
• Spread bag of Scott's fertilizer, step 1.  Perfect timing too, just before the rains arrived.

I'd like to think I'm ahead of schedule for spring clean up.

Emilie and I are off to do more errands today with one stop being at my favorite nursery, Pumpkin Seeds.  Perhaps, I'll pick up some lettuce.  Need to scratch the veggie gardening "itch"...

AH, Finally!

After the long Winter we just went through here in New England I wasn't sure when we'd be able to get to spend time working in the yard. Well, the good news is I spent this past weekend outside puttering.

Besides pulling out all of our stored Spring and Summer items, i.e. planters, patio chairs & tables, bird bath, etc., raking, edging and pruning was performed.

Our raspberries took a beating with all the snow and had to be tended too.  All the damaged ones were cut back and all the old dead stems were removed.  Fingers crossed that they'll repay the hard work with many many tasty berries.

Kudos to Emile for all of her help too!

Placed the lawn chairs my dad used to enjoy back on the front lawn.  Then Trixie-dog and I put them through their paces.  Just kicked back and enjoyed the afternoon and sun.