Saturday, April 10, 2010

Ah, Spring.

Spring has arrived rather early this year. Last weekend, we enjoyed temperatures up to 30C/86F.  Of course, it's been quite a bit colder this past week and rainy but everything is green and growin'! 

I mentioned we built a new base for the shed and moved it but I also got a good start on building the raised beds for the vegetable garden.

I've done 3 4'x8' beds so far. 
We'll see if that's enough! 

We've been struggling with deciding where they should be. It's funny - now that we have this (relatively) huge yard I feel greedy about the space and want to use every inch wisely. I know, those of you with actual property/farms will find my little piece of earth tiny but it's really a huge lot for being in the city.
See? Still lots of space.
So I think that's where those beds will stay. We can always move them next year if it doesn't work out. Plus I will have some things growing in other locations. I'm going to try corn and hope the racoons leave some for us!

More signs of spring:
Forsythia - this was taken last weekend and it's already much more filled in.

I don't know what these are but they are SO cute. We get this colour and a really pretty purpleish-blue one.

Tonka (the cat) has been enjoying his outdoor time too. 
I just hope he doesn't start picking fights with the neighbour cats!

So we have a fair amount of space but Hazel's favorite spot is in the dirt.  Gotta love dogs!
I disturbed her nap! 
Note the tulips in the background - 
the flowers are now just about to open.
Spring makes everything feel possible, doesn't it?

4 comments:

Jason said...

Yes it does and WOW to the pretty forsythia ! When I lived and farmed up there my grandad, dad and then me used to keep track of when the forsythia in our front yard bloomed relative to when our oats, barley and spring wheat were planted. In data stretching back to 1929 the earliest bloom date (until this year) was April 14..average date was April 23 and latest was May 4th.

RuckusButt said...

Wow, Jason, that is really interesting! Thank you for sharing that data!! I love data and growing things so any time the two coincide I'm happy, lol. The photo was taken on April 3rd and it started blooming probably 4 days prior to that... now I wish I had an exact date. There are plenty of others in the neighbourhood that look more impressive than mine -I don't think ours saw any pruning for many years before we moved in last summer!

Shanster said...

I'm with you HOORAY spring and sun and pleasant days!!!

Shaheen said...

I'd be so delighted if I had that space. Now that I now longer have my allotment plot, my growing space in my back garden is 6 foot by 8foot I think, and then the rest is in pots. I look forward to seeing the 'fruits of your labour' :)

Hazel is truly a beauty. Can I take her out for a walk?!