An explosion of spring, that is. I was in California all last week, and when I got back home it looked like an entirely different place. This blog will be light on words and heavy on the pictures.
All of a sudden, the azaleas have popped into nearly full bloom.
The driveway is hard to capture, but here's some shots from the house. (the bridal wreath and white azaleas haven't really come in yet).
The various fruit flora are also doing their thing...blackberries wild and hybrid (and the new member of the family this spring, a celeste fig tree that made it through the winter) -
You can see the blueberries in the background above; they're still small, but they all put out plenty of leaves, so they also made it through their first winter. The citrus trees likewise came through. Although I know that each flower will not result in a full term fruit, it's nice to see the lemon and satsuma flower buds.
...and Denise decided to try some herbs. She put them in pots by the spiderwort and hummingbird feeder. No telling what she's going to sneak into her recipes.
I think the new location for the hummingbird feeders will work out fine. We lost the previous spot when we re-worked the back porch. It only took a week (and a bunch of blooming flowers) and the hummer scouts have arrived.
We're also infested with doves. The flock of 20 or so that hang out by the deer feeder are spilling over into the yard. I don't guess the few that Chris and Jack shot over Christmas put much of a dent in the population. They like to hang out near our version of "critters in the yard".
Of course, anytime I'm away a few days, I return to find that Denise has been keeping busy. We're looking like we're ready for Easter, and there's a couple of HD garden hose caddies ready to deploy.
Even though there always seems to be something else on the to-do list, it is blissful to sit on the steps in the late afternoon on a fine spring day in Longville.
Come see us before it gets hot!
Winter's end brings many things, including more yard work in the rush to beat summer's heat. The first job is a continuation from the last post...front porch work. Joe came back the following weekend and brought some help. We finished up trimming the siding and started on the steps.
Learning from our back porch experience, we decided to set the handrail posts in concrete this time for a steadier support.
A little brick removal and excavation had us ready to install the steps.
Even Roux wanted in on the home improvement action.
Next up - the porch rails and bannisters...
...and of course, we restored the porch swing to its familiar spot. (Note the porch light upgrade I forgot to include in the explosion of lighting improvements on the last blog post).
A little work on the step handrails and capping off around the porch, and we are all done until the staining. There is no wobble at all in any of that railing, to be sure.
We also figured it was time to put out the hummingbird feeders. Since we reworked the back porch we had to find a different spot. Only time will tell if the new spot will suffice.
Meanwhile, Roux was looking so pitiful in the pictures from earlier this year in the "collar of shame"; I have to post a picture or two to show that we are not mistreating her...in fact, she is living a life of luxury and earning her keep by keeping watch to ensure our yard remains critter-free.
Other signs of the end of winter (or beginning of spring, if you prefer)...the early bloomers of the azalea population...
...Luna Moths on the screen porch in the morning...
...copperheads to provide practice on gauging front tire location...
...flounders returning to the estuary...
...and good sized crawfish in the backroads Cajun restaurants.
Also, Scott and crew came for the weekend. Since Aubrey recently had a birthday, she got to help Gran with one of the specialties some of you may have seen before. (Aubrey contributed the colorful but strangely symmetrical "rocks" to the chocolate landscape)
Aubrey also enjoyed some vintage puzzles courtesy of T-Mom. Here she is with one she made (almost) by herself.
Well, that's it for now. Be sure to check back for more spring doin's soon.
