CONFESSIONS OF A TREE STEALER

Chase the wonder dog and I take a walks most every day up the hill to Cloud Crest Drive. He sniffs at all the deer and dog markings while I take in all the flora. One of the homes we pass had a big tree disaster this past fall when we had some high winds and half of the huge 50' pine tree split off and landed across the front of the lot. Luckily it didn't take out any cars or structures. But it did mess up the front landscaping. This huge tree limb did not get removed for several months and when it finally was cut up and hauled off, a small juniper tree was revealed, smashed over and uprooted. The weeks passed and nothing was done for the poor little juniper tree...an expensive plant, I might add, when purchased. So in broad daylight I just stepped over to the curb and grabbed it. I brought it home and potted it up. I gave it the best potting soil and some bone meal to encourage it to put out new roots. And here it is happy to have some attention and putting out the tiniest bits of new growth. Score one for the "Plant Phantom!"  

MY MARCH MADNESS

 The "apricot" tulips get oranger by the day! Oh well, they are striking against the brown fence. 

 My pink tulips have lived up to their photo on the cover of the bulb packet. I put them in with the snow pea plants.

 Veronica speedwell is a great groundcover that blooms early and sets off the white Iberis (candytuft).

Some Pieris Andromeda (Lily of the Valley), potted up on the patio. 

TULIP TIME

 This is the tulip package label. I thought I was getting a peachy pink, yellowish with a hint or orange. 

 And here they are...more of an orange with hints of yellow and pink....but they are nice looking anyway. Maybe as they open more....

Some little grape hyacinths (muscari) doing their thing and multiplying like crazy. One you have 'em, you'll always have 'em!

EASTER IN THE NETHERLANDS

 Here are our "kids," Chris and Susan in Hoorn on Easter Sunday. They really enjoyed the day and were hosted by a Dutch family for coffee and cake. They said this town was incredibly picturesque.

HARE TODAY....

 Meet Herkemer Hare, adopted from the Easter selections at Fred Meyer. Not you typical cute bunny but more like the real pesky jack rabbits that visit my front yard. He is made of wood (from China, of course, where they must know a thing or two about rabbits, I'm guessing). Anyway he is about a 3/4 scale model of the real thing. As I said to the checkout clerk, "I don't know why I'm buying this, since I have 'em for free!" Except of course that this one doesn't eat the flowers and stays put.

 Speaking of flora and fauna, here is a chickadee at the birdbath. He took time out from scolding me while I'm working in MY/HIS yard. 

 In the coldframe I had a surprise bloomer...a scented geranium that went for it. Who knew? It has a lemony scent when you touch the leaves.

 And of course when it comes to having company in the garden, the flickers perch high up in the trees and sound off with their loud calls, just to remind me to keep putting out their favorite peanut butter suet. 

So here is Herkie keeping me company in the greenhouse where we'll both be nice and dry until the spring rains are over. 

A CAT'S LIFE IN THE GARDEN

 Spring means fresh tender new grass to munch or just sit on

 There's plenty of blooming things that attract bugs to play with...

Treading lightly with oversized paws on the gravel paths

 Every cat knows that outside water tastes better than inside water!

And of course don't forget to sharpen your claws on any available wood!

YOU KNOW IT'S SPRING WHEN...

 THE DAPHNE BLOOMS AND JACK REBUILDS A TRANSMISSION. HERE HE IS ACTUALLY REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION SHIPPING BOX THAT WAS BUILT BY THE CUSTOMER AND PARTIALLY DEMOLISHED BY UPS. 

 AND DID I MENTION OUR NEW TRUCK?...IT'S A 2007 MAZDA. IT CAME WITH A BED LINER WHICH IS GOOD FOR HAULING ROCKS, SAND, BARK AND LUMBER FOR MY GARDEN PROJECTS.