First Mow (and Water) of Spring!

Late daffodil blooms in triplicate at uncle's place

It has been a hot week here in West Michigan. It feels too early for this summery weather. The trees are popping out leaves and blossoms, the early tulip blooms are starting to splay out in the throes of death, and some hostas are beginning to unfold--exposing them to the danger of a nipping April frost.

But the true sign for me that it is fully springtime is the gassing up of mowers. And the setting up of the water hoses. I just got a small start today--mowing with my lame fasciitis foot here at home. The sprained knee is doing much better.

Unfortunately the battery was down on that little John Deere lawn tractor, so it is charging overnight at the rental house shed.

But for me, getting all the hoses attached and ready was the fun part today. Well, not the unwinding of the hoses--just the spraying of water! Rain is in the forecast this week, but we have things growing in pots and baskets that needed water now. That new grass planted late last fall around the deck got a squirt. And the old faithful tulips that have already grown so tall got a shot.

It is exciting to see who (yes, since I have no pets, plants are like my babies to nurture, feed and water) made it through the winter. Only 2 or 3 lupine grown by the pastor from seed and planted by O. in the church garden survived the winter, but they are growing really fast now. They will be in bloom in one month or so. The fall-planted pansies have come back for one more spring fling.

I bought a dozen or so cheap mums at Countryside last fall. Only two seemed to have survived for another year. That is the way of mums, but at $2 a pot, I really don't care.

And so it goes for the gardener. Unlike the current president, I am not always winning!

Looking forward to so much more beauty this spring...

We (E. and I) have stuff growing in this new basket now.