Frozen Grapes, YaDa,YaDa

We were fortunate to get a bit more snow, for it offered a hidden gift of more moisture for our gardens, forests and streams.
Yesterday, we woke to snow, thus frozen grapes., Grape Hyacinth, that is., and

snow-covered Daffodils, that will survive.  In fact, by this morning, they were standing tall, as if they did not know it had snowed.  After all, it is only April in Wisconsin. 

The Sumac I had rescued from a blackberry gnarled shore sat on the deck awaiting a place to be transplanted.  It too, was snowbound, only to thaw and perk right up again.

 I'm sorry little fella, but the picnic has been cancelled.  I will leave you and your Junco family some seeds to help keep you warm until the snow and rain stops.

 "Oh dear, she spotted me, even tho I crossed the woods road quickly.  I'll pose., but just for a minute."

 I am in awe at the extend of growth and survival of all of the succulents and semps planted last summer.  Most all of them have at least doubled, tripled, quadrupled.

 The Creeping Thyme is tiny-leaved, smells like mint and does not mind at all that I walk on it, in fact, it's delighted.

 I cannot recall the names of each without looking them up, but I do remember this beauty being the Red Lion.  The center Rosette was the only one when first planted last July.  I love all the babies she has had.  Five of them have already been shared before I took this photo.  I do love this wonderful Hen and Chicks, named for the baby-growth each spring.

 Click on each of these for a much closer view, keeping in mind that each of the varieties was the size of one rosette less than just a year ago.  I do love the ease of caring for these.  Plant and enjoy.  That's my kind of gardening. 

Of course, you will love these so much that you will want to divide and expand the second year, like I'm working on.  Oh the joy of it all. 

 I heard a thump on my window this afternoon, and there sat a male Purple Finch, a bit stunned from a bump on the head when he hit my patio door.  He sat on the mat about half an hour, then  took flight safely to the treetop.  I'm just glad he survived.

 While outside after the morning rains, the wonderful garden rains, I decided to fill a hypertufa with a few succulents that were traveling where they shouldn't.  By late June, this dish will be full of reds and greens of tiny plants.  

Though the day started out raining and very wet, by afternoon, the sun was shining, the plants were easy to transplant for the loose soil, and the sun was showing off as she set in the western sky.    We are predicted to get a couple of more days of rain.  That's OK.  If it lets up a bit each day, I will transplant more of my perennials that think they should be lawn.  They are too pretty to mow over, so they will be moved, besides, Bill said he would help me put plants in the ground.  I can't pass up that offer.    

Speaking of planting, our contact from the WA. state seed company called today to inform us that he will be sending a crew of equipment our way in a few weeks, if we were still interesting in his offer.  Of course, we are, so let the fun begin.

Have a wonderful 2nd half of the week and

BlessYourHeart