Remarkable Spring

What a strange spring we've been having!  We had a few weeks of record breaking, unseasonably warm temperatures, and the plants have been popping up in the garden.  Last year in the fall I received some bulbs from Danielle for my birthday, and now I'm getting some clues as to where I decided to plant them.  I also dug up and spaced out the existing tulip and daffodil bulbs, and those have come up as well - no flowers on them yet.  However, I did spot my first iris bloom this afternoon!  No picture, sorry, but I was excited to find a flower! 

There are some squirrels who are also excited to see my tulips coming up.  I'm hoping that the red pepper flakes I sprinkled on the gardens might keep them away, as I was NOT pleased to see these chewed off plants.  Aaron is looking forward to me catching some of these squirrel red-handed, as I told him we would eat them for supper.  Whenever he sees me looking at the gardens, he asks me, "Are you frustrated with the squirrels, Mom?"

The boys have enjoyed re-discovering the backyard - they have been able to play out there quite a few days already without even needing a jacket on!

We have a lovely sandbox filled with sand, but for some reason the boys prefer the dirt by the gate or in my now-empty vegetable garden.   This will have to change!

I'm not sure what this bulb is, but it was also from Danielle and it looks promising!  This was on March 19, so it's a little bigger now but no flower yet.

Playing outside makes little boys very dirty!  Nate loves water, so he doesn't mind coming inside as long as he gets to play in the sink!

But he certainly isn't always clean.  You've got to love those spring colds...

There is never a shortage of windows to clean at my house.  Gross!!

Even the lilacs are starting to come out.  I'm looking forward to them!

The apricot tree burst out into full bloom last week Saturday.  Beautiful!  But I've only seen two or three bees around, and I know the farmers are worried about the fruit crops this year.  There is still a lot of opportunity for damaging frost.  I don't mind a non-existent crop of wasp-attracting inedible apricots this year, but for farmers it's a different story. 

A close-up of some blossoms in the sunshine

Those poor blossoms shivering in the snow tonight after supper.  We're supposed to get 1-3 cm of snow overnight.  

I wonder if I should throw an old sleeping bag over them, poor tulips!