And then Lunch!

MMMM collards among the florida betony.

New Year's Day Fun

I planted the bulbs and yes-gasp- I labeled them! I love that Elvis pot.

Junior sez

h Happy New Year.

He loves live plants. Me too. He loves the sun. Me too.

I have progressed to removing the bulbs from the fridge. It's cold here today, well, for Coastal South Carolina-it's 50. Junior trying to help me type-he gets cold. I'll get out there to plant those bulbs in a minute.

OK, I'm back

My yard is a wreck. I haven't been home for any good length of time since February, what with the big job and all. I have to say, Enid Oklahoma has beautiful roses. And sunflowers.

Tradition dictates that whatever you do on New's Year's Day will be what you do most for the rest of the year. So I will plant roses.

I went a little crazy ordering bulbs. It doesn't get cold enough here to grow tulips, so Of course, I have to try. I've got tulips, muscari, some croci and daffodils, and they're all in the fridge. I'll put them in pots on New Year's Day, and let you know how they do. It's 79 degrees today-Christmas was a record 80. My resolution walk on the beach this morning was so pleasant. Nothing not to love!

Voles

This picture of a vole looks really cute. The one my dog Sarah
dug up in my backyard was not this precious.

I've got vole tunnels. I guess they are waking up or something. I really don't mind. They don't want to come in the house, they eat grubs, and they ariate my soil. To people who have very neat lawns they're pests. I do not have a pristine lawn. In fact I aspire to one day get rid if all the grass in my yard, so that the whole thing is a real garden. Wildlife welcome.

The Robins Are Back

And if you could see my car you would know how many of them currently perch in the grand oak over my driveway! Gross. They're lovin' the pyracantha berries in my yard. I promise.

I got some sugar snap pea seeds yesterday at Royall Ace Hardware, my favorite locale for products. Everyone there is so gracious and helpful, and they get great healthy plants. Right now they have a variety of lettuce seedlings that would be great for a new lettuce grower. We can plant them now, but they do need to be covered if it gets cold again, and it probably will.

I like to soak my pea seeds til they sprout, then plant them where they will grow. I'm bad at hardening off. I always forget. Click on the link and you'll see why!

My bay tree has bloom sprouts on it. Last year I planted a thunbergia "Spanish Eyes"vine to grow up it and was really pretty. The flowers stood out against the dark green of the bay leaves. It's on my list to repeat.

It's another sunny day, so rather than write about gardening, I think I'll go do it!

The Weather

We are experiencing record breaking heat. It's 80 degrees outside and I have been sweating while planting spraxia bulbs and breaking up the sedum. Looks like there's a big ugly tornado watchbox headed this way so I guess that pile of pruning I just left by the curb will blow over to my new neighbor's house. Oh well. Welcome!

I threw out parsley, cilantro and dill seeds while I was out there. I love my black swallowtail caterpillars and they love to eat those particular herbs. I like to pet the little caterpillars. When touched they send off a big stink!

I am so tempted to plant my basil seeds but I KNOW better. As soon as I do it will get cold again. I'll just look forward to pesto. It's a fun thing to anticipate.

If you are new to the Lowcountry and I know many of you are, try not to let spring-like February weather fool you! It can ( and does) frost in March.