For the first time, we’re seeing snow melting. There are big puddles on the roads and parking lots in town. How exciting! It fired Will up and he went out into the greenhouse and started caulking up many of the cracks around the windows, doors, etc. that just didn’t get done last spring. After all, even at 33 degrees outside, it was a full 80 in there! I went in and it felt like summer. I wanted to go get a chaise lounge and just lay in the sun. AAAhhh. Of course, we’ll be getting more cold weather and snow. But today, we got a real taste of spring, even though my tulips and daffodils are buried under five feet of snowplow berm. The good thing with that, though, is they won’t start growing and blooming, just before we get that foot of April, heavy, wet snow. Fooled ya’ Mother Nature.

Believe it or not, it was 80 degrees in the greenhouse today and only 33 outside.
With nicer weather, Will’s tightening up our greenhouse prior to moving plants in later on.

After digging through my old seed bin, I came up with a plastic bottle full of Mayo Blusher squash seeds. Now, they’re probably 20 years old but we’re hoping against hope that at least a few of them will germinate. I sure would be happy if this great squash did not go extinct!

Here’s my precious bottle of Mayo Blusher seeds.

Bill was here Monday, to pick up the family dog, Buddy. He let me know that besides growing out a patch of Hopi Pale Grey squash, he’s also going to plant a nice big patch of sweet corn for the family to eat and can up. Hopefully, the deer will leave it alone. I suggested putting a few children’s pinwheels here and there in the garden to ward off the four-legged thieves. That’s what Mom did in her garden, only a few miles away from Bill’s house. It’s worth a try, anyway, as the spot isn’t fenced and is on Bill’s in-law’s land. The deer never have bothered the potatoes they grow there each year. So, we’ll just have to wait and see. — Jackie

24 COMMENTS

  1. My sister from South Texas (130 miles from the southern tip) was here last week. She was amazed that my daffodils come up in February. Every year. Would have blown her mind if she had seen them come up through the 2″ of snow we had on the ground one year. Snow is not common but no matter how cold, my daffodils ALWAYS come up in February. Love the look of spring on the way.

    kathy in MS

  2. Our snow here is melting and melting fast. After the weather next week is in the 40’s I don’t think even my snow berms will be left! I hope yours are to keep those flowers under ground!

    • Oh yes! Our plow berms are shoulder high so will be around for weeks. But I think I can hear those bulbs murmuring down there somewhere…..

  3. Hello Jackie, speaking about those squash seeds, I’m wondering do you still plant & store the Bolero carrots & do you know if those seeds are available? I sure would like to try my hand at planting around July here in south Ga & see if I can store them..
    Can’t wait to plant my garden.

    • We no longer grow Bolero as it’s a hybrid and we now only grow open pollinated carrots. We replaced them with Kuroda years ago and love this variety.

  4. Mayo Blusher seeds are available from Native Seeds SEARCH. No danger of it going extinct.
    If you type Mayo Blusher into Google you’ll get a lot of returns for seed sources, growing information, uses, ripening, photos.

    • I went to Native Seeds/SEARCH and they used to carry them but don’t now. I also Googled until my eyeballs fell shut a week ago and there aren’t any current sites that sell these seeds. If you can find one, please buy two packs for me and I’ll double your cost and pay the shipping with my hearty thank you!! I’d really love some fresher seeds!

  5. I laughed when I read your little trick on mother nature with the spring flowers. That is pretty clever ?
    How wonderful to have a warm green house for your plant babies and for you to warm your bones.
    I am Soo excited about your squash seed find! I hope we get an update. I will look those up to learn more. I love good squash.
    Happy spring

    • I was pretty happy too. Zelda, above, thinks she’s found some fresher seed sources and I sure hope that’s true. But I Googled and Googled and didn’t come up with any sources and even checked my several past issues of Seed Savers Exchange Yearbooks; no dice.
      I’m so thankful for that nice greenhouse!!!

  6. I had to chuckle at the big-wheels suggestion. I can see it in my mind, the deer stumbling over the toy and running away ?

    • Oh no! That was pinwheels, not big wheels. You know the kind with a stick and colorful pinwheel on top that kids run around and make the pinwheel spin. But I can also see the deer sitting down and running around the garden on a big wheel!

  7. Hello Jackie,
    Haven’t been on for a bit. Been working on seed starting in the house and canning some chili and Beef Stew for days to come.
    It was in 60’s here and most of snow is gone but not holding my breath. We will probably get more. It’s raining and cold today.
    Sitting in the green house on the chaise sounds fun if it wasn’t buried in the snow lol
    The lawn chair would certainly work well to enjoy the nice warm sun in the greenhouse.
    Sounds like the sunshine has Will energized to do some work in the greenhouse to get finishing touches on.
    I hope your Mayo Blusher squash seeds take off. Would be nice to have these take off and a treasure if they do.
    Have a great day and enjoy the sunshine.

    • The sun energizes all of us, I think. I, too, am starting to plant and it sure feels good; like winter’s finally fading away. Happy Spring!

      • Yes, Jackie the sun does definitely energize us. It does feel good to get plants going now and rady for winter to move on as much as I love the snow just not particularly the cold lol
        Happy Spring!

  8. This is the only season that I am not fond of. To much mud. This is the time of year my Yellow Lab Sophie turns into a Chocolate Lab. ;)
    Been following your life adventures for a long time. You truly are a inspiration.

    • I hate the mud too. But I’m sure glad to see DIRT instead of snow and ice! If I could only teach the dogs to wipe their feet before coming in the house. Ha ha! I can’t even teach Will that. lol

    • I hear you Carol on the mud. My two dogs don’t look the same being out in the mud but in time it will be dirt and not mud.
      I agree Jackie if I could only teach the dogs to wipe their feed lol

  9. When we lived in the UP I would go sit in the car and read. The sun shining in made it so warm.

  10. We’ve been in the high 60s (think we hit 70) this week but tomorrow’s high is 48. Next week or so temps are reasonable but of course rain (which we need) and chance of snow (moisture is moisture). Yard is cleaned up so we’ll be able to hit the garden area when it makes sense – meaning too early to burn off/weed perennial areas or prep the annual area.
    Hoping for more moisture then warmish night temps when it gets to be morel season.
    No sense caulking when it isn’t warm enough.

    • We’re still in slop mode outside as it’s still thawing big time. But during the day Will can easily caulk in the greenhouse as the temps often get too hot for him to wear anything but a T shirt.

  11. Well, I don’t have chaise lounge but I did pull out a lawn chair and set it up in the green house. Mine was so warm the jacket came off and I basked. That kind of heat is hard to beat. I’m so glad you have the greenhouse. It makes life easier doesn’t it?

    • Yes, it does. I have a chaise lounge from the dump but it’s buried in the snow. But I do have a lawn chair that’s going out there soon!

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