Happy Spring!

The first official day of spring makes me happy. I've started some seeds: Shasta Daisy and Black-eyed Susan--Goldstrum. I'm never sure when to start seeds. I'm soooooo ready to be out in the garden, but that doesn't mean the garden is ready for me. We've got snow, and the ground is frozen. I've had to compost entire flats of seeds because I'm too early. And then there's the space. Ours is a fairly simple home, and this is the only south facing window, so I need warmer temperatures to put the trays outside during the day. If I start too many too early, they'll languish from lack of light. The branches are what I've trimmed from the old crab apple two days ago, sitting in sugar water  to encourage blossoming  indoors. This is the season for hope. 

Winter Interest (sort of)

These are the front garden wildflowers in winter. In other words, the "winter interest" in Minnesota is snow. Lots of snow. I'm glad the seed heads of the purple coneflower are above the snow line, so that birds can nibble if they'd like, and some are stripped of seeds. It's amazing how long these have lasted, given that the wind blew open our screen door and damaged it during one storm. Ah, winter (even if we are in meteorological spring).