Spring Begins with Wet Sidewalks and Gray Clouds

After the rain. © Barbara Radisavljevic

On this first day of spring the sun preferred to hide behind the clouds most of the day. When I walked to the corner to get the mail, it was obvious that it had rained. The clouds, however, seemed to be in retreat and the sun did finally pay us a visit before it said goodbye for the night. 

Gray clouds retreating after the rain. © Barbara Radisavljevic

The rain left evidence on these clary sage leaves that it had been there. Tomorrow should be partly sunny until evening.

Raindrops on clary sage leaves © Barbara Radisavljevic

How's your weather today?

Garden on a Goldenrain Tree Branch in March

Garden on a Goldenrain Tree Branch, © Barbara Radisavljevic

I'm over 65 and my government has decreed I should stay at home as long as the corona virus is spreading in California. The exception is that I may go outside as long as I stay at least six feet from anyone else. I'm also allowed to garden at home. I took full advantage of that today.

I went for a short walk to the mailbox and then took the same walk again with my camera. That's when I took all the photos. I took several shots of the plants in bloom along the way, but the shot I liked best was the one you see at the top. All the rain made this branch a garden of lichens and Spanish moss. I don't remember any other year it hosted so many other plants.

We had sunshine for the first time since the weekend. The clouds were like cotton in the blue sky. I didn't realize how serious a case of cabin fever I had until I spent time enjoying the outdoors today.

White clouds in a blue sky, © Barbara Radisavljevic

In two days it will be spring. My garden is filling with volunteer seedlings. In the photo below the borage seedlings are easy to spot, but the lacy nigella seedlings are hiding under the borage leaves and are barely visible. If you click on that large borage seedling in the middle to expand the photo you will see it's already preparing to bloom.

March seedlings among the weeds, © Barbara Radisavljevic

As you can also see above, the the weeds are beginning to grow tall enough to pull. I filled the composting bin with dead branches I pruned and weeds I pulled today.

Are you working in your garden yet this year?