Coming out of winter.....

This is going to be short and quite plain with no pictures, because I can't find my camera at the moment, but I wanted to update on things happening now that winter has passed.

We bought new birdhouses and feeders and are now feeding the entire forest.  We have tufted titmouse, chickadees and mourning doves.  I saw a wild turkey in the backyard yesterday and we have seen the same small deer in the yard three days in a row now.


Today I was out chopping down the trees that had fallen/broken over winter and lifted up a fallen one and saw a baby spotted salamander.  He was so cute, only about 2 inches long with bright spots. 

The flower bulbs I planted in the fall in front of the house have all come up and are starting to flower.   I made a new flower bed in the corner by the front door and planted organic wildflower seeds in there today and trimmed it with all the rocks I pulled out of the bed while I was preparing it. 

I have gathered most of the fallen trees/branches and they are by the fire pit waiting to be chopped and piled. 

I weeded out the mint garden that is in the corner of the house and workshop.  We have peppermint, spearmint and catnip growing there. 

I started to prepare the side bed for the rest of the wildflowers, but still need another good long day to finish preparing it.  Both sections of the irises are sprouting and looking very healthy. 

The strawberry bed is a mess.  That will have to be tackled soon. 
I fixed the broken gate connected to the barn, it looks much better now!

Every single bulb of the organic garlic (both types, soft and hard-necked) have sprouted and are growing awesome in the vegetable garden.  There are also carrots sprouting up from last year's crop that must have went to seed.  Those will be pulled up though when we till the rest of the garden as I don't know if they were organic.  The pea/bean fence has broken and needs to be fixed, along with one of the birdhouses. 

Lots to do, but making good progress, especially since work and school take up basically all of my time.

More soon,
Sara