Back to life.

It was a cool day after the wonderful temperatures we had this weekend. Later in the week, we'll be in the 70s again. It looks like my day off will be a nice one. As the clouds parted this afternoon, I snapped a shot of the evening sky. It's great getting home while it's still daylight.



The flowering quince growing around the chainlink fence that belongs to my neighbor is a welcome sight. No blooms on any of mine this year.



Nearby, what I think is an amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) may need to be removed this year. They can become very invasive. If it blooms soon, which it looks like it will, the yard will be full of fragrance for the first and last time.



The Loropetalum is coming in to bloom.



Azaleas are budding. This is a formosa purple that was here when I bought the house. I cut it down to the ground because it was so wretched.



The oakleaf hydrangea is sporting new growth and last year's leaves.



One of the three aucuba I rooted last summer. All three are showing growth. It'll be years before they fill in. I'll start pinching later in the season to get some bushier growth.



The Snowball viburnum cuttings are pushing out leaves. They were so tiny when I put them in last fall. I was afraid they wouldn't survive. All three made it. I will have to transplant these soon. There's no way these shrubs can grow where I put them for the winter.



It's currently 45 degrees. We're expecting to drop into the upper 30s tonight, maybe low 40s. Rain could come at any time, or not. Tomorrow, it should warm up a bit to the mid 60s. By Wednesday, we'll be back in the mid 70s. I plan to spend the day mowing and doing some more planting. My sinuses are stuffed. My nose is running. My throat is sore. Pollen has started to fall from the maples. The oaks will begin their assault soon.

A Lesson in Futility

This morning at 5:30am, it was 23 degrees. The high today should be around 50.

I know this because I was up at 5:30am. I arrived at the nursery at 7:15. There were at least 1000 people already in line and more coming in every minute. The foreman ordered everyone into two groups, Americans and non-Americans. There were probably 200 or so in my group. They took our name, our phone number, asked whether we had worked there before (no), who referred us (no one for me), and whether we could start immediately. That was it. No applications, no resumes, no cover letters accepted. I don't know what I expected, but that wasn't it.

I stopped by Lowes where I worked last summer. I'll go back this afternoon to speak to my old manager about another summer job. It won't pay the bills entirely, but I hope to supplement my income by selling plants, veggies, and doing some model making on the side when I have the opportunity.

I've got 4 cuttings that I plan to stick this morning. Two Elliot Blueberry, one Bluecrop blueberry, and a White Princess Peach.

I may go outside and collect some more brush for firestarting. The forecast calls for snow again next Tuesday.

12:48pm - sunny, breezy, and 45 degrees.

The flowering quince is coming on strong. It's the first thing to bloom each year. This one is way back in the woods beyond the edge of the yard. I took several cuttings from it a few days ago and stuck them in the hoophouse. I hope they take root. I love the graceful, weeping form of this shrub.