cat grass en masse

 It's still pretty cold, but...sunrises have been amazing lately.

I've slooooowly been working on getting my mini greenhouses out.  No green yet!

For instant gratification, there's always...cat grass.  It's so easy to grow.  Just sprinkle seeds and cover...

...put in a sunny window for a couple of days, and...instant spring!

It lasts like this for several days...meanwhile, I'll start another container of it tomorrow.  Swap out the old, repeat, repeat.  So easy!

Meanwhile, I've got daffodils everywhere!

This vintage jadite egg cup that I picked up at an antique shop is perfect for tiny daffodils.

I bought these ceramic eggs so long ago, and I use them every single spring!

Meanwhile, I'm getting my fill of color outside.  I love seeing all the green!

Not just green.

Vinca

Spirea

the first of the violets!

a peek of lilac

daffodil

hosta nubs

the first redbuds!  

Things should really be popping in a couple of weeks!  Meanwhile, we'll be checking the trail cams for the first signs of BABIES...bobcat cubs, goz, coyote kits, and fawns!  We have an astounding number of possums and I'm really hoping to catch some possum babies (joeys, just like baby kangaroos!) soon.  I love spring!

Have a great week!  

more tracks at BBB

Mid-February, we finally had snow...about four inches.  And now, just two weeks later, it's sunny and 76 degrees.  Indiana spring!  

I don't know why we draw so many cardinals, but I love it...especially in the snow!  They make such a beautiful contrast.

It was really coming down for a while...

...but as usual, our post-snow weather was bright and sunny.

A few bird tracks...

...and a peach splash of urine marked the progress of these deer.

Even with snow and colder temperatures, the daffodils were pushing through.

Just a week after this snow, more signs of spring.  Red maples were dropping buds...

...and we started seeing more green on our hikes.

Lots of animal tracks told us that these little guys were getting more active!

raccoon

Even in the brown of late winter, I love Bean Blossom Bottoms. 

Borga has trodden these boards for the last time, though.  She used to be a pretty intrepid hiker...

...but now she can't walk for more than five minutes without needing to be carried.

So we're hiking without her this spring.  She's staying home, catching some ZZZZZs

She's got good company.

Have a great week!  

the last straw(berry)

 Spring is popping!

I planted bags of muscari bulbs when we moved here and I love seeing them every spring. 

I gathered up the last of the daffodils for our spring table and mantle...

...and made small-batch lemon crinkle cookies to celebrate the warmer weather.

I love making small-batch desserts, and Easter was a great chance to make a few things that were festive but in limited supply.  I started with candy.  We both love Reese's peanut butter eggs, but they have a lot of nasty ingredients.  It's really easy to make a healthier version at home.  This recipe makes only 5 eggs and uses honey, not sugar.  It's as simple as mixing up a few ingredients, patting the dough into a rough egg shape...

...fridge, then dip in melted chocolate chips.  Sprinkles, of course.

They aren't as sweet as Reese's eggs, but somehow tasted better.  I also made sweet rolls, modified.  I made a quick strawberry freezer jam from this recipe, and used the cinnamon roll recipe here for the quick bread (instead of a yeast-raised dough).  I crushed a few tablespoons of freeze-dried strawberries into the dough, rolled it out, and spread the jam on top.  Another quick roll and slice and they were ready to be baked.  By coincidence, a "C" initial!  Perfect!

Frosted with a lemon cream cheese and more sprinkles, they were perfect for our Easter spread, right next to the carrot pumpkin muffins!

I have to say that everything was tasty, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the strawberry rolls, considering that I'm not a huge fan of strawberry.  But the soft bread with thick ribbons of lightly sweetened jam running through was absolutely my favorite.  I will definitely be making this again!  

As much as we've enjoyed getting outside and finding new growth...

...I've been more focused on inside flowers.  My sweet peas are finally robust enough to move to the porch for a few days before being planted in the garden...

...and I've been eyeballing the many bags of old seeds that I've got laying around.  Some are 5 years old, and the only way to know if they're viable is to plant them.  I decided to do a test planting of three seeds per bag.  I spread soil on a blue tray and planted 15 different seeds.  After just a few days, success!

I've got about 50% germination.  Those bags will be added to my 2023 pile.  I'll give the other seeds another week, and then the bags will get tossed.  A lot to do...I haven't even started on cleaning up the garden beds or laying the paths.  It's been so rainy and intermittently chilly that I haven't wanted to start...but it's time, ready or not.  The kittens are loving the sun and it's time for me to get there, too!

Have a great week!