This morning I went out to fill the bird feeders, a daily chore now that they have returned to the side yard in force, and saw all these popping up. The last few weeks since I have been back from the east coast have really been a little too pleasant, if that is possible. I guess what I mean is "Where is Winter this year?" With the lack of moisture and cold everything is coming out about a month early it seems. The tulips are up, the daffodils are sprouting through the leaf blanket I put on them and the entire perennial bed is starting to green up.
IT'S TOO EARLY!!

the other picture is of tulip bulbs that I had pulled out of a large terra cotta pot that I planted a rose in this year. Forgot them where I had tucked them under some santolina...looks like they overwintered just fine..and they may even be blooming soon.

Here is my "strange" pic of the day. I am a juicer as many of you know, and that makes a lot of compost material. I have started bagging up some of it for treats for Michelle's chickens, (added benefit: I get fresh eggs) and the rest I have been just piling the pulp as well as kitchen scraps in this wine barrel in the side yard. I did this last year also because there was no sense putting it into the tumbler as it was frozen and I don't add water in the winter anyway. Last year in the beginning of April I pulled the majority of the then semi-composted scraps out of the barrel and put it in the tumbler and I planted 1 tomato plant in a wall o water and guess what came up....ready....2 pumpkin plants, 1 funny squash of some sort but very edible and a few onions. So obviously this is a strange winter way to compost, but....works for me....

ps, this may not work for you if you have varmints or dogs that can get near it......

my favorite crab apple getting ready for her spring debut......malus "Prairefire"

another beauty, Weeping Forsythia Tree.....still not sturdy enough to support itself, but it is getting there.....will post another picture when she puts on her spring dress...