It's looking and feeling like Spring

. . . except for those darn winds! We've got a bunch of viola's in the flower garden that have been with us all winter - the yellow flowers in the picture - and they are happy now with the coldest weather behind us. Our favorite early spring shrub is the other yellow in the picture. It's a Lime Mound Spirea and later it will be a lime color but first it's yellow. I'm moving a few other things out of the greenhouse and into their assigned spaces. And we saw our first hummingbird yesterday. A male Ruby Throat stopped at the feeder for a few minutes. Non-gardening tasks are still centered on the chapel. It now has sheetrock and I'll finish the taping tomorrow. I spent several hours working in the greenhouse this morning and have decided that I'm too tired to do any more work this Sunday! One more thing - how do you like the new blog template?

Greg

In the last few months I've been able to follow much of what Greg has been doing and what people are saying about Greg on the internet. Every now and then I do a few Google searches on him and today ran across this. It's a comment from a reader of the Colin County Observer responding to an article written about Greg. The writer of the comment says:

" . . For a moment in time, I was subjected to several days of sitting, waiting and listening to the sounds in the courtroom of Judge Willis. During this time, I experienced the most interesting, enlightening and unexpected reality that I would have never believed existed, if I hadn't. I consider him an interactionist model of organization creativity. He has a professional-personal style of igniting hope as well as understanding in a belief to the defendants that they will not return to his court, as repeat offenders. His character is admirable, he's a great role-model and leader for our community. If you happen to get the chance, to see him at work, watching someone who cares about this community and loves what they are doing is a great experience."

This is just one of many comments that it has been my joy to read!

Solved!!!

We've had a problem with critter(s) in the Treehouse and have captured a squirrel and a rat. We've had rat bait out but it's hardly been touched. Today I discovered the identity of our long time lodger. It's a Southern Flying Squirrel!! You can't see his tail in this picture but the rest offers a positive ID. Now all we have to do is figure out what to do about them. (There are two it looks like.) I'll start with destroying the nest. [But they're so cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute!]

The first full day of Spring -

Bambi spent the day and night with us yesterday and we went to Winnsboro for lunch and later went back, with Alex joining us, for a concert at Crossroads, We woke up this morning to find more snow on the ground. After Bambi left we discovered that she'd be driving out of the inch or two that we had here into six inches in Allen! The weatherman predicts sun before the day is done but it's a gray day out there right now.

I haven't seen this one before - I like it!

"The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other peoples' money" Lady Thatcher

The greenhouse is finished!

I know it doesn't look very different from the last post but it does have the floor and ground cloth outside too to make weed control easier. I think I'm going to like it - but it will take some learning to use it effectively.

My desk

I was looking through my Family Tree Maker back-up file for a picture and came across this one and decided to post it. The "library table" in this picture is the piece of furniture that I'm now using for my desk. From the other pictures that I have it appears that this was taken at Aunt Maude (Littleford) Kimberlin's house at 3221 Wendelkin in Dallas. The picture would have been taken right at 100 years ago. The table was made by my great-grandfather Charles Lorenzo Flanders.

Come enjoy the day!

Now it looks, feels, and works like a greenhouse

but it's not quite finished yet. I still need to put some more permanent attachments for the plastic film, add the ground cloth (which we'll get tomorrow), put in permanent plumbing, and build the north door. It does work very well though and several plants have moved in.

Greenhouses have a tendency to look a little shabby and home projects done on the cheap have the same tendency - but I'm pretty happy with the way this has turned out so far. Now I just need to be sure I don't let it get trashed out.

You knew it was going to be there but it was still special to see it for the first time!

and confirm that, Yes!, he did receive 68% of the early voting!

Final results!

Looks like we won't see the final tonight

It's 11:30 and nothing has changed for over an hour - some problems somewhere in Collin County but, hey! - it looks good!!

TEXAS PRIMARY ELECTIONS - MARCH 2, 2010
RACE RESULTS - Latest update: Mar-02-2010 11:21 PM Central Standard Time

Criminal District Attorney Republican Collin County
Precincts Reporting: 31 out of 179 17%
Candidate Votes Vote % Winner
Greg Willis 14355 69%
Jeff Bray 3563 17%
James Angelino 2982 14%

First plants for the greenhouse

Deanna asked so here's the answer - These are the seedlings that are in the nook now. I'll pot these up in 4 inch containers and let them grow some more in the greenhouse before putting them out. Right now, there are zinnias, cosmos, sunflowers, moon flowers, rudbekia, and swiss chard. I will start more seeds as soon as there is more room in the nook. The plan for the greenhouse will be to increase the growing season, start flowers inside before putting them into the garden, start plants from cuttings, and over winter some other plants.