Weather update and more!

Through 14 March A.D. 2007:

Days with snow cover: 75
Days with complete snow cover: 57
Total snowfall: 38 inches (97 centimeters)
Maximum snow depth: 24 inches (60 centimeters)
Lowest temperature: -2° Fahrenheit (-19° Celsius)

Wow. For the first time since mid January there are bare spots outside. In fact, there's very little snow left on the ground. On Monday, the temperature climbed into the 50s. It got into the 60s yesterday, and the grass began to show. By the end of the day today, the snow was limited to shady places and areas where there had been drifting.

Perhaps the most exciting thing is that the first Crocus is blooming! Last Autumn I planted four Crocus species in our yard. As of today, a Crocus ancyrensis 'Golden Bunch' is blooming. It's exciting to see how quickly they've emerged! There are at least two more that should be blooming tomorrow...

Now that the snow has melted, I'm working like crazy to get the farm in order for Summer. This year I have a number of projects I'm working on:

1. First of all, I live on an old vineyard. While I won't be keeping all of the grapes, I am trying to revitalize a small block of them. Consequently, my first project this Spring has been to prune back the old vines.

2. I ordered 500 pine and spruce trees in January. I need to have their planting areas ready for when they arrive in May.

3. One of my interests is raising livestock. For the past two years I've been clearing parts of the vineyard to create pastures. Now is a great time to clear because the weeds have not begun to grow.

4. My favorite garden plants (other than bulbs) are shade plants. I would like to create a bed on the north side of my house for Columbines, Dwarf Crested Irises, Anemones, Solomon's Seal, Forget-me-nots, Bleeding Hearts, and Trilliums. This is a substantial project, but one I look forward to...

While Spring is a busy time of year, it is also a happy time of year. For me, it's full of excitement for the upcoming growing season!