Spring showers led to cleaning and some down time today to take some photos of what's going on around the house this week. After multiple years of dry weather, severe drought in some years, it's nice to see it raining somewhat regularly. Too often it seems I'm wishing we could get some later in the year as the summer lengthens, so I'll take what I can get. The irises in the front yard are blooming in all their glory. Purple petals with highlights of yellow peeking out, all standing above a forest of spiked green leaves. A wonderfully intricate plant, not a favorite, but one I always enjoying seeing.

While moving through the back yard, I marveled at the light on a dreary day. Making the green of the newly formed spring leaves and fresh grass, all that much more green. Accents of white dappling the background from a very large Dogwood in full bloom, doing it's best impression of still being in winter's snow. This time of the year always feels so natural to me, the renewal of life, a chance to do things again. I can never seem to get over the green, the intensity of it, the newness, a reminder of how things can rejuvenate themselves, waking from the slumber of of winter.

The azalea next to the creek is literally falling over with blooms. I really need to trim it back this year when it gets finished flowering. The rhododendron next to the bridge over the "creek" is on the verge of blooming, the very beginning of the opening buds can be seen. A sharp fuchsia poking out of the green encasing it. This is a nursery plant, so it tends to bloom a month or so earlier than the native rhododendron towering 30ft into the sky in the front yard. A beautiful plant non the less, always fateful reminder that spring is getting into it's rhythm and summer will be here in no time. Fishing is prime right now. Life is good.

Cat and I got the garden planted about as reasonably possible, with some of the late cold snaps we had. Most of the usual suspects are in the garden this year, although in some different proportions than last year. I really need to start getting the garden ready for the next year during the fall and not spend so much time chasing those last nice days in the woods before winter makes it's unwelcome return. Spring mix lettuce, black-seeded simpson , and some head lettuce are coming along nicely. The cabbage transplants are settling nicely into their homes as are the copious amounts of seed onions we panted, both Georgia sweet and red onions. We planted something like 10lbs of seed potatoes, an even split between yukon golds and .... some other type that I can't seem to recall at the moment. Almost all of them are above ground and doin their thing. For now, we're just mounding dirt up around them, but I'm hoping to make some 2ft tall tubes made out of chicken wire to grow more taters.

It's supposed to rain, which is good, but not so good. We've been really dry for the past two years, but I really need to get my summer crops started. I have an almost overwhelming desire to fry up some zucchini dredged in cornmeal and fried in Crisco. Squash and zucchini needs to get planted soon, but I need to rework the beds that will their home. Ditto with the peppers, beans, carrots and my beloved corn, that withered in the heat and drought last year. I did manage a bit of corn, but not much.

The grass needs to get cut, I passed up an opportunity to do it Friday to take a nap with Cat instead. I regret this at this moment, but not while I was in a nirvana of blissful nappiness! So, hopefully in all of this glorious life giving rain, it will take enough of a break that I can get a few things done. Like most things, I'm not that worried about it, but it passes the time to think about.