On Sunday, part of our family gathered for our annual excursion to Byrnes Greenhouse near Zim, Minnesota. David and his family plus Bill and his family joined us to have fun and pick up some nice, inexpensive, wonderful hanging baskets and other plants. Yes, I have started some from seed but I’m kind of addicted to flowers you see. They always perk me up when I walk outside. And, on days I’m so very tired, just seeing beauty gives me energy enough to go on. Granddaughter, Delilah, loved the flowers and kept telling everyone to “smell this one.” Bill drove his truck. That way, he had plenty of room for all Kelly Jo and Ava picked out. Ava has her own fairy garden while Mason has his dragon garden. All in all, everyone had fun, enjoyed seeing all the beautiful flowers and each other. Afterward, we went to nearby Cotton, to have a late lunch at Wilbert’s Cafe, where they have the best food in the state. Not only did we over-do it on flower buying, but also eating! They don’t stint on helpings there!

Grandson, Mason, showing granddaughter, Delilah, how tall she will grow.
Here we are, all stocked up on car (or truck) loads of flowers and plants as well as food from the cafe.

Today, it’s back to normal, with me having a pile of plants to get in the ground and in the greenhouse to wait for frost-free weather. Even though we had 80 degrees F yesterday, we’re still expecting that sneaky late spring frost. Darn it! Our own flower beds are shouting color now, with daffodils of all colors. The peonies are coming up and will be blooming before too long — I’m so excited!

he fishpond garden has lots of blooming daffodils.
And my “fish” are now swimming among flowering daffodils, waiting for the daylilies to bloom later on.

Will’s hauling more manure and has given the Main Garden a good tilling. We’ll be tilling it twice more to keep the weed population down, once after manure has been spread and once just before planting. All the plants in the greenhouse are astounding and I can’t wait to start planting outside. After that frost, that is! — Jackie

15 COMMENTS

  1. Dear Jackie, I love your family pictures! These days we’re relearning how what really matters is God and family, like you have. And what a lovely family tradition! Jackie, do you cut back or bend over your onions when they start flowering/making seeds?

  2. We still need heat in the green house after midnight, if the sun comes out it will hit 80 by 10 o’clock in the morning. Cloudy today so 65 at noon. My gardens are still covered with snow melt water except where there is still snow. My hoop house’s walk ways are too wet to use. Glennallen Alaska had bad enough flooding that the grocery store and both banks have been closed since Saturday! We had mass at a parishioner’s home Sunday!

    • Hey, you do what you have to, right? In the old days, often church services were held in parishioners’ homes. We’ve been lucky, not having to have heat on in our greenhouse at night. But they were calling for frost, south of us, so we were a little leery last night. No problems though!

  3. Enjoying your share about family
    And flowers. Sure relate to the
    Need for flowers. I have to have
    Flowers and needlework to just
    Maintain. We have cattle and
    Farm, so the flowers and my
    Needlework are just to keep
    Me going forward with a smile

  4. What a wonderful excursion with family for lots of flowers, time together with family and good food.
    Our temps here are still a bit iffy. Lots of rain, humidity and in 80’s then back down to 60.
    Like you I’m waiting to be certain no frost sneaks in before planting much of anything outside.
    I do have a forest to go mow shortly though with all this rain lol
    Have a wonderful rest of your day.

    • Yep, with our warm, even hot (for us; 80), weather I’ve already mowed the grass. I love it; it’s my zen time and the cut grass smells so good!
      We really look forward to that yearly excursion to Byrnes Greenhouse, etc. So much fun with family!

      • Yes Jackie there is nothing like the smell of fresh cut grass.
        I’m still not done but don’t mind it’s taking awhile.
        It sure sounds like the time with family going to Byrnes is
        so enjoyable.
        I’m going to ask my daughter if she’s been there and perhaps we’ll get
        to have a future excursion and out to eat. I really would like to try Wilbert’s sometime in the future too.
        Have a great night.

  5. We always end up with a few potato volunteers and I always leave them. We figure if they are trying, what the heck.
    I’m always looking forward to possible future problems like that. One never knows. Then, some emergencies just pop up with no warning. Like my cancer in 2005~

  6. So far the weather is holding here. We’ve been getting ample rain (in nice showers not deluges mixed with hail). So-many-strawberry blooms and I can’t wait. Steady harvest of asparagus BUT I do need to get out and weed both beds.
    Well I *thought* I had some late popping taters but the two plants are actually volunteers. Must have missed at last two taters during last harvest but I’m not complaining.
    Plenty of wildflowers and planted-by-someone-else-that-have-now-really-spread for me to see BUT not have to lift a finger (that’s me – if I can’t eat it I don’t plant it unless for ground cover). I need to find some herbs for my box. Even if I don’t harvest regularly, the herbs provide seed for the birds – I’m happy to reciprocate.
    Looks like a good time had by all on the Mother’s Day excursion. You just can’t beat the Mom-n-Pop local businesses/restaurants. Both are always first on the list where I spend my cash. Nothing wrong with leftovers for another meal/snack/side dish/meal base or addition.
    I’ve been ordering some supplies a bit early due to the refusal to pay what the US owes situation. We’ll be okay but I worry about others.

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