Following the flood two weeks ago, it turned cool.  Then, it turned even cooler as we entered what is called “Blackberry Winter”.   It’s called Blackberry Winter because it always turns cool when the blackberries are blooming.  Here are a few in bloom behind my house.

Mike wanted to go to California to see his mother.  We talked about the best date since we’re approaching the kayaking season.  I told him that he could count on Southwest Virginia being too cold to kayak on or around the first weekend in May.   It worked out well.  We had a frost last night while he was out there.

But today, he is returning and spring has returned.   It’s a low humidity day where the sky is clear and blue and everything is green.  Well, not everything.  My flowers are blooming.  These snapdragons can handle a little cold, so they fared well in last night’s frost.

These perennials are always here welcoming the spring.   The blue is some type of phlox and the yellow is coreopsis.

If I had an English home, I’d have an English garden.  I’m lucky because I have a country home and a country garden which welcomes everything — even a few weeds.   I covered many of the flowers last night.  I’m not adding any mulch to this bed as in a few weeks, it’ll be tight with flowers and color.   Hopefully, they will drown out the weeds!  That is my plan anyway.

I weeded the raised beds yesterday.   Here’s some garlic that looks like corn!

Gotta have a few onions.

I’ll plant tomatoes this week.   One thing that was noticeably absent in this garden was the abundance of bees.  I sold my bees.   This is temporary.  I’m going to try a new type of hive next year — especially if I don’t start seeing some bees here.   One thing that is still in abundance is our furry friends.  This is my neighbor’s doggy, Belulah.   She is supposed to be a sheep dog, but she could care less about sheep.  What she really is interested in is kayaks.   She works with us all summer as an unpaid welcome committee/member of the launch team.

And here’s her sidekick, Poopsie.  Poopsie is required to stay home more so he does not work with us often.

And what does my sweet boy, River, think about all this?

Back to work!!