The Rustic Garden Spring Blooms

I haven't been able to post as much as I like to so forgive me if this has too many photos and not enough text. It's been very busy around here and especially in the garden. As you know I had big plans for a raised veggie/kitchen/potager garden this year but sadly I think I'll have to compromise. With GardenGirl's recent health issues I have not been able to find time to bring in the necessary soil so it looks like I'll be rotatilling after all. Ssshhh, don't tell the relatives. So as we look prepare for that adventure I've been slowly making my way through the gardens and doing some light spring weeding. Here's a tiny peek of The Rustic Garden today, May 1st 2008.

Are these Daffodils MUTANTS?

My cousin and I were talking about bulbs about a month before we could even see the ground. She had some bulbs that she was nervously awaiting their first spring time blooms. She had just purchased a home and was a bit desperate to turn the bare earth into a welcoming garden. Today I received news from my cousin that her bulbs (although blooming about a month later than everyone else's) had finally begun to bloom. She was overjoyed but something was amiss. She had planted full size single bloom daffodils. So she was bewildered when she found this:Can you see that there are three blooms on each stem? She asked me if it was a type of Daffodil that she was unaware of OR if her brown thumb has now turned into a RADIOACTIVE Thumb? Need a closer look? Here's a shot of another Mutant Daffodil... I've never seen anything like it so I turn to you for HELP! Have you any idea what type of Daffodil this is?

Or do I have to start sewing my cousin a Superhero outfit? After all, Peter Parker got a neat Spideyman suit when bit by a radioactive spider. What do you think of calling her "The Bloom Booster"? I like it...

E Day Resolutions?

Earth Day. It's the "New" New Years. I don't know about you but I stopped making New Year's resolutions a long time ago... but now everyone seems to be making Earth Day Resolutions and I can not resist. Why not try to "Go Green"

So with the assistance of my kids we have decided that we will be plastic bag free. We have about 10 of those "free" giveaway canvas totess that have never been used so we are going to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! By using the totes we will: Reduce the amount of plastic bags filling our landfills, Reuse the totes for a purpose, Recycle any remaining plastic bags in our home.

That was our Earth Day Eve resolution last night. And I'm proud to say, I've gone shopping and returned without any plastic bags! And what's more the canvas totes were so easy to carry that I didn't have to struggle to hold my daughter's hand in the parking lot! One more reason to Celebrate Earth Day!

Adding More Rustic Charm

Boy, did my family need Spring Break this year. We planned on sleeping in, snoring until noon, watching movies, eating popcorn, sitting on the couch and generally giving in to the laziness we haven't had time for. But the danged weather refused to cooperate! Who can sleep in on mornings that look like this:
And who can resist temperatures in the50's at sunrise? Not me... or my children! So we were up and at 'em by no later that 7:15 every morning. We enjoyed checking to see when the daffodils would open and were very happy when they finally put on their show.

The week was thoroughly enjoyable despite realizing that the bright sunshine is yet another trigger for gardengirl's seizures. A good pair of polarized dark sun glasses were the best buy of the week.

The unusually warm weather also led to an unusually helpful hubby and since winter hit while I was in the midst of starting a rock garden I was more than happy to recruit him to help me get the project underway...again. But sadly, he is easily distracted.

Wait...

Could it be?

Yes, he's finally going to build my Rustic Arbor! for my Rustic Garden! I've dreamt about having a arbor frame the entrance to the rock garden. {wipe a tear} I've waited so long... and now hubby has done all the hard work and left me plenty of space to do the twig work that I so love. This is how my new arbor looked late yesterday:

And this is how my brand new Rustic Arbor looked just seconds before my daughter ran into it will the tractor:

And After...

No damage Done.

The Beauty of the First Spring Flower

Yes, I know that there have been tons of posts about the blooming of every variety of crocus but... I cannot stop myself! Finally, in my garden, is the very first blooms of spring. With all the hectic worry that has filled my life lately it was so pleasant to stop and "smell" the flowers.