Signs of Spring

Tom Carpenter stopped by yesterday. "You Laqueurs work harder than any family I know," he said, referring to our yard. Which I guess is true; we've been busting our tushies this past week. All the new plants for this year are in, and I edged all the beds - redoing the stonework on some of them. JP had 7 cubic yards of mulch delivered and Friday and Saturday we worked on filling the beds. It's very very dark mulch this year - almost black - which is very striking and makes all the foliage pop. But also something of a nightmare because every stray leaf, stick and piece of schmutz stands out. I wouldn't do it this dark again. Brown is more forgiving.

The cherry tree in bloom and you can see how the dark mulch looks.


Here's AJ up in the swingset fort. I made him a picnic and he took it up here with books and pillows.


We moved the kitchen set out of the playroom. The kids weren't ready to give it up entirely so we got the idea to put it under the swingset. It fits perfectly, stays dry, and it's having a little renaissance.


We are under strict orders to keep the veggie garden doors shut at night because the tulips are budding and blooming. When I ordered them last fall, I bought them in a range of bloom times. These orange and yellow ones are first, and then pink and red ones later on. We're going to second Seder at Kevin and Ilyse's tonight and I'll bring her a bouquet.



Peas, carrots and salad greens are up. We had a late frost a few weeks ago that killed about 1/3 of the broccoli seedlings I'd set out and most of the cauliflower. But I salvaged what I could, bought a few replacement plants and re-started some cauli.

My biggest excitement this year is finding this plant for sale; as an actual plant and not as seeds which I've tried for three years to germinate with no luck. It's an eryngium, or sea holly, called Miss Wilmott's Ghost. I can't wait to see her in action. Supposedly she self-sows easily so hopefully I'll get more seedlings out of her.