Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day

This is my second month participating in GBBD and still there's not much to report in the way of blooms. Most everything is still covered in snow, but I did find this prickly pear cactus warming itself in the sunshine we enjoyed today. It looks like this in March.......





but looks like this in July.




The picture below might not look like much to most of you, but seeing some grass appear between the snowbanks and the asphalt is a welcome sight for us. Pathetic, I know.

A big oak tree in our yard had to be cut down yesterday. It's been doing poorly for a couple of years now and it was time for it go.

P3 sitting on the stump. Not sure what he was thinking about. He was sad about the loss of the tree, but happy to be outside without a jacket.

We could hear the robins singing in the tree tops and finally P3 spotted the one below. It was our first of the year. He was excited about seeing it and was immediately transformed into a bird watcher.

When he asked if I'd bring the bird identification book outside so he could read it, it made me fall in love with him all over again.

A good way to end the afternoon. A boy having fun playing in the snow with his shadow.



Thanks again to Carol for introducing me to Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Can't wait until my posts are filled with colorful blooms. Off to see/read what everyone else posted today.

OOOH!! - AAAH!! - WHAT??

OOOH!! - Our First Lady's Arms - Beautiful

AAAH!! - Walking Barefoot In The Grass

WHAT?? - Breakfast of Champion by Hank Willis & Ryan Alexiev. This 40"x30" print is a "mosaic made of thousands of sugary cereal bits" and can be yours for only $950.00. Interesting read, check it out.... Cereal Art

Looking Out My Windows

Late Winter

Oh winter is raw

& out of control

it doesn't know when to stop

"March!" I say, & it doesn't move

Jennifer Jones

Eventually the views from my windows looked liked this and that was the end of picture taking for the day.

New To Me

I've never seen broccolini in a grocery store or at a farmer's market although I've seen cactus pads for $.99 a pound, but that's another story. Never even heard of broccolini until recently and now I see it on cooking shows and on recipe websites like Dianne's Dishes.


Greek yogurt is new to me, but I've quickly become a huge fan. It costs more than regular yogurt, but worth every penny. The Chobani brand is in my refrigerator right now, but Fage is preferred. It's all delicious.


If you've all been eating broccolini and Greek yogurt for years, please don't tell me. Let me think that I've introduced you to something new.

Hope

Some of you lucky people have daffodils and other spring flowers blooming in your gardens. I'm not one of those people as evidenced by the photo below which was taken yesterday afternoon in the parking lot at Wal-Mart. Dirty snow in the front, pristine snow in the back.

Last Friday we had another snowstorm. Luckily, my handyman was out there with his snowblower to clean it off the driveway and from the looks of it, that Ariens has some snow-throwing power.

So, even though daffodils aren't blooming here right now, we have hope and know our day is coming.

Photo Meme

Nan's friend tagged her with this meme.

Find Your 5th Photo File Folder

Then The 5th Photo In That File Folder

Then Pass The Meme To Five People

She posted a picture of her handsome son from ten years ago. I was eager to see the 5th photo in my 5th photo file folder. Surely, there would be a good-looking picture of someone in my family. Here's what I found.

This wrinkled face is the result of an activity that P3 and I did together in October, 2007. It was easy and he liked checking the progress every week to see how the wrinkles were coming along. I got the idea and the "how to" from Wondertime.

Directions

Submerge a peeled apple for 5 minutes in water with (2) T. of salt and the juice from one lemon. Use a skewer to carve eyes, nose and a mouth. The bigger the features the more dramatic the outcome. Set the carved apple in a warm spot and watch the face emerge over the next few weeks.

Happy Birthday, Son

This cute little guy is celebrating his 41st birthday today. We were proud of him long before we knew what a good, kind-hearted, generous, hardworking man he would grow up to be.

Happy Birthday. We love you.