Technically gardening

Unlike the rest of the country, apparently, we are having a (mostly) mild, dry winter. Well, we did have the weird 6" of snow on October 4 .... and the wee freez-a-rama (3 days of -10F-ish here in Bend, 5-10 degrees colder in neighboring locales) ... but other than that, it's been anywhere from nicely brisk (overnight lows in the high 20's) to downright balmy (days in the 50's). Sheesh. We haven't seen snow since just before Christmas. There's still enough to ski on (the local skiers are praying for more, though) but down here in the lower elevations, it's just like spring. Well, like spring in Bend, anyway.

The greenery I see sprouting in the garden is, alas, mostly weeds, sneaking in an early start (the little baggages!). Still, I have been strolling around outside quite a bit in the last week or two, cheering on the things I know are lurking underground: the garlic and shallot bulbs I planted last fall.....



and of course the spring bulbs: species crocus and tulips, miniature daffodils and all the usual suspects. Last week, after several days indoors with a cold, I just had to get outside. It hits me every spring, but this year it's coming on a bit early. In the early days of my gardening habit, I would I tell my sweetheart "I've got to outside and throw some dirt around!" and at first he was surprised. I guess he thought I was kidding? As the decades have come and gone, he has moved from amazement to chuckling (apparently it was cute there for a few years) to, nowadays, barely a head nod.

I could have done it too (thrown dirt around), since the soil is not frozen anywhere except where shaded by fence or northern exposure trees. But as I picked up my shovel and donned my gloves, I had a little guilt attack about the pile of mulch/compost which I had had delivered last fall, still sitting out by the street, partly encroaching on my neighbor, Stan's, front lawn. Oops. So I grabbed my trusty wheelbarrow and moved a few loads to the back yard:





I did three loads and then my cold-weakened limbs demanded a tea break, and that was it for the day. Still, it was very satisfying to be outside with my plant buddies. Today looks promising too ..........