Getting Ready for Easter

In light of the beautiful weather I have been spending most of my days outside with the kids. We have been planting, pruning, trimming and digging.

It has been so fun to be out in the sunshine and blue skies. Today was a bit cloudy, it has been threatening rain all week, nothing yet.

I thought since Easter was just a few days away I would share some gift ideas and pictures of pretty flowers and blooms from around the yard to celebrate Spring and rebirth.

For gifts this year I am doing the traditional egg hunt but with almost no candy. I bought some really cute egg stuffers at the Dollar Tree and I think I have some dollar bills or quarters laying around somewhere (money really could just be pennies, neither kid really gets the value of money anyway hahaha!).
Here is a list of the things I purchased:

• grow capsules - stick them in water, watch them grow
• Easter erasers
• Easter themed stickers
• peanut M&M's - I just couldn't resist
• dollar bills

I have to keep it gender neutral since I have a boy & girl.  Shopping for their baskets was a little tougher this year since I hate all that junky stuff. I decided to get them a few things they really enjoy; puzzles, books and crafts stuff. I also got some crazy straws because they love them with smoothies in the morning.

For the grandparent baskets I am giving I have included homemade laundry soap, snacks and artwork from the kids. Basic and useful. Package them beautifully and they will be well received.

Now for the flowers. I am not sure of all the types but I will try to identify what I can.

 A beautiful daffodil. The yard is filled with them just before spring.

 Pretty pink flower cluster (actual scientific name). The green foliage grows year round but in early spring it produces the pretty flowers.

 The blueberry busy growing buds, only three this year, better then last.

 Strawberries. I have three plants that I finally moved into the sun. Hope to get a berry or two.

 Vinca minor. Flowers are really simple and pretty. We use it as a ground cover and it grows everywhere.

 Our lovely fig tree. This year I might make jam.

 A climbing rose that grows around our bedroom window. Gives it a cottage feel.

Spring Planting has Begun

Today is about 12 weeks before the last frost so I decided to sow some cabbage seeds. Not many, since last year, or maybe the year before that I had a horrible infestation of cabbage moth caterpillars.

I have a feeling there is a technical name for them but I call them cabbage moth caterpillars and encourage the kids to chase and catch as many cabbage moths as they can.
Year to date: Kids 0 - Cabbage Moths 100

We have also been busy emptying out the raised bed because some how a mole got through the mesh wire stuff at the bottom and ate all my Piment de Padron peppers and some jalapenos and I think it took out my lavender plant and a bell pepper. We will not have that problem again.

I plan on turning the raised bed into a permanent herb garden. Oregano has taken over an entire corner. That stuff is like a weed or peppermint. It roots itself overnight and the next morning it's everywhere!

Here is a picture of last years garden.

Which turned out OK considering I lost my entire collection of starts and nursery stock.
Because me and my vast knowledge of gardening decided to roll my green house out into the garden where it could warm up. Not bad right, until I heard a crash and discovered you shouldn't move the greenhouse let alone move it in the middle of the garden on a windy day. It blew over and everything was a pile of dirt and seedlings. I cried.

But my mistake will surely help someone else, at least I hope.

What are you planting this year? Have you started your seedlings?

Happy planting,
Heather