To Garden, or to Blog About Garden: That is the Question…

That’s easy…  garden, of course.  It feels like ages since I’ve posted anything, but now that we’ve hit a patch of rainy weather here for the past several days, I finally feel like I have some time to sit down and write an update on what I’ve been doing out in my tiny garden.

With the unpredictability of our spring weather this year, I’ve felt all discombobulated with what to plant, and when.  And I’m still feeling insecure about having what I’ve planted grow properly, because now everything is water-logged from all the rain we’ve had.  But all I can do is keep an eye on things out there and hope for the best.

I got all my seeds planted ~ cucumbers, zucchini, beans, and carrots, along with the lettuce seeds and peas I planted earlier.  Which are coming up quite nicely by the way, but I don’t have any photos of them for this post because it’s been raining off and on pretty much ever since I’ve noticed them popping up, and I haven’t really had a good opportunity to take any decent pictures.

I also planted my celery, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, and jalapeno peppers, in addition to all of my herbs.  Might could have waited on the tomatoes a bit longer, but whether the weather is ready or not here I come.  *Fingers crossed*

Also, over the past couple of weeks, I’ve searched far and wide for the same variety of strawberry plant that I fell in love with last year and bought on a whim when I saw its pretty pink blossoms, but alas, it was nowhere to be found.  😦

However, when I came across this bright little red strawberry pot, I knew it was destined to come home with me…

Although they’ve been around for quite a while, I’ve never grown strawberries in one of these types of pots before, so I really hope they do well.  They were looking quite neglected and scraggly at the store, but seem to have perked up under my tender care, and already have a few blooms and strawberries developing, so they’re off to a good start.

This variety doesn’t have the pretty, pink flowers that my plant had last year, but gosh, look how cheerful and cute this little white blossom is…

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And another thing I find cheerful and cute…

I don’t care what people say about dandelions, I adore them!

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And even though this is also cute…

I don’t adore it feasting upon the seed I put in the new bird feeder I set out…

Although I have to admit, I do admire its mad acrobatic skills.  😉

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And I am feeling a small bit of mercy toward it too because just yesterday as I was reading in my room, I happened to look out my window and notice a squirrel scurrying up my tree trunk to the hole that is in it, carrying babies!  I grabbed my camera, but I couldn’t catch a shot, it was too quick for me in its mission to get them in there to safety.  In all, I saw it bring three little ones into the hole, so precious to watch.  I love little creatures so much and so it’s hard to be too seriously angry about the raiding of my bird feeder.  But I’m more than just a little concerned about my garden veggies this summer with an entire family of squirrels living in my tree.  It could end up being a nightmare of a battle to keep them away, as I can’t be out there on guard 24/7.

In the end I’m probably going to have to take the bird feeder down.  I had reservations about putting it up in the first place in fear of attracting nearby squirrels, but in seeing all the little birdies flitting about, I just really wanted to put one up so they’d pause for a bit and visit me while I’m out in my garden.  I don’t think squirrels eat thistle seeds so maybe I could leave the bottom section of the feeder up in hopes of the goldfinches stopping by for a quick meal from time to time.

Anyway, here is one shot I did get while the babies were being delivered to the hole in my tree.   If you look closely you can see a baby head peeking out just above/behind the momma’s outstretched arm…

Hi little precious head!  Sooo cute!  But I have bittersweet and mixed emotions about it with my garden being so nearby.  Please leave my veggies alone this summer little squirrels, I don’t want to end up detesting you…

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Okay, so while I’m here and having the chance to “Blog About Garden” let me share some of the photos I’ve taken while I’ve been outside this spring.  It’s been a virtual bloom-fest out there, and in combination with all of the varying shades of fresh, new, spring green going on, it has been a delicious treat for my visual senses!

I wish I could have taken more pictures of all of the freshly sprouted green things I’ve seen popping out all over the place, but all I got was this shot I took one day of the new leaves on the lilac bush.  They were so pretty when I looked up at them against the backdrop of the blue sky.  This photo doesn’t come close to showing just how lovely the color really was.

And here are the lilacs now…

I can’t even begin to describe the amazingly lavish scent filling the air when I took this picture, it was pure and absolute bliss!   Makes me breathe in deeply through my nose just looking at this picture and remembering it.  ♥   Gosh, I love the scent of lilacs!  I really wish they lasted longer…

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Another blooming beauty I’ve been enjoying is the Rhododendron bush I planted for my mom many years ago on the corner of the house.  I’m going to have to share several of the photos I took of its gorgeous, delicate, lavender-pink color when it was at its peak last week…

So lovely!  It’s a bit unfortunate that Rhododendrons don’t have any fragrance to speak of, but if they did I imagine they would smell as beautiful and they look.  🙂

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And lastly, I’m so glad I had the chance to snap some pictures of these few yellow tulips that are left over in the flower bed from a planting many years ago, because the heavy rain has since decimated them.

Tulips are one of those flowers that just seem to symbolize and embody the spirit of spring, and they are an especially refreshing sight in yellow!  🙂

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Ah and spring is such a refreshing time in general, isn’t it?  All the earth comes back to life, urging us to be renewed and come alive along with it.

Spring can be a busy time for gardeners, but the simple beauty, and small wonders of the season are often brief.  May we all pause long enough to soak in and partake in the beauty and new life going on around us.

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✿~Gardening is my therapy~✿