Well I’ve been outside for a while. I had some chores. I also wanted to poke around and see what was doing what in the garden.

One of the things I did was put out the tick tubes which help combat the deer tick population. Of course now that I’m inside and I’ve done a tick check, I am completely itchy. Yes I hate bugs. Kind of funny considering I’m a gardener.

I also had to put out deer repellent that I wasn’t quite ready to do yet but some little critter got onto the porch and chewed a hole in the container and then left it there when they realized what it was. So I had to use it or it would go to waste. Plant Skydd granular. It is effective but rather stinky.

The hellebores are peeking out. Once they get established they bloom like crazy, but the first few years you have them in I have discovered it’s rather haphazard as far as blooms go.

The pussy willows are busting out all over. Ever since I was a little girl they have been one of my favorite things. The giant Chinese pussy willows I bought from Applied Climatology at the West Chester Growers Market a few years ago are reaching for the sky! They tolerate so much and basically I give them a good hack after they have bloomed and maybe a couple of other times throughout the summer and they stay in decent height control.

One thing I discovered today that I don’t like is someone else’s trash that blew into my flower beds and woods. I can’t even explain how it irritates me to pick trash out of my own garden and woods. Don’t be a litterbug anywhere, please.

Today I also used my garden cart and moved a piece of slate I had waiting to put on top of the stump that is remaining of the dead tree we just took down. I needed something heavier than the piece of sliced log. I also relocated Chubster the Squirrel I bought from Brandywine View Antiques to the stump to sit just in front of the pot.

Brandywine View Antiques is one of my sources for garden statuary and cement critters. The owner Lisa sells reproduction and vintage in this category and all is reasonably priced.

Other things starting to really bud included my tree peony out front. I hope it doesn’t get a rude March awakening.

Little crocuses are also popping up. Lots of yellow ones planted by the original owner of our home. Not really my color choice but I leave them because they are one of the first things up every year.

Wandering in the woods I discovered not one but two holly seedling trees. They are growing happily and I am going to just leave them to grow where they are. Some volunteers are welcome. Others are not.

The woods have a bunch of invasives I need to get rid of. Dog rose. Some of the wine berries. Some pesky burning bush seedling volunteers and so on.

I will admit today was slow going but I did it! But when I get tired now my left leg doesn’t lift as high as my right. It’s definitely dragging. But soon it will be planting time!

It’s a beautiful albeit chilly day. The sun is so nice and the sky so blue. I hope some of you make time for some outside time today.