When The Going Gets Great

Hot damn, spring is here! And as a former girl from the North, I would say we earned it this go around. But all of that precipitation and those frigid temperatures were, actually, fantastic for the garden. My winter daphne is blooming and all of the bulbs appreciated their winter-time. That photo at the bottom is actually a tulip. 'Angelique.' They look like peonies. Amazing-amazing. And the bluebells are spreading more and more each year (top photo). Inside for a rainstorm yesterday, Willa and I worked on botanical letters (via The Postman's Knock's tutorial - second photo from top), after rootbeer floats and hot, buttered, stovetop popcorn. We be all about the flowers, right now.

I am trying two new things from seed this year - red poppies and larkspur. Oh, and a new morning glory variety - 'Blue Ensign'. I am really hoping for success with the larkspur - they were a part of my wedding bouquet and their delphinium-like flowers just kill me.

In writing news, I have a few freelance articles coming out soon - Richmond Home Magazine's May/June issue will include my piece on The Kitchen Garden, and I am returning to Charlottesville Family's Home and Garden column next month, as well. Check them out, if you can.

And, earlier in the month, I finally got out to see The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. I had the energy and the wherewith-all to stay up for a show that started at 10 (good grief). We are all getting older - can't we just agree that earlier shows are cool enough?!

Hooray for spring - get out there while the getting is good.