Spring chores

Spring is early this year.  I'm afraid that's a harbinger of a hot summer.  It's also meant that there's a lot to do in the garden and not a lot of time to get it done because all the perennials are off to a leaping start.  Yesterday I fed and watered, so no telling what will be happening out there next weekend.  

This is a French Broom.  I saw one at a neighbor's house and it was beautiful!  They had it in a large barrel at the end of their driveway.  I picked up a small one and stuck it in a tall pot and it did really well.  The neighbors left theirs out over winter and I'm not sure it's coming back.  I put mine in the greenhouse where it doubled in size over the winter and now it's started to bloom.  Not a lot.  It likes it HOT!  But, it's an early start.  It should bloom for a good part of summer.  While it doesn't look like there's a lot happening in the background, there is.  

I have a few early violets.  These will be in full bloom in a few weeks and they'll last all spring.  My Mom gave me a few many years ago and I've let them grow as a ground cover.  They do very well and don't mind a little sun.  But, they'd also like to take over the place and I've learned not to let them take hold in a flower pot because once they take hold, they're hard to get rid of.  

And, the grape hyacinths are getting started.  Just a few stalks now, but the rest look ready to go.  And, they've multiplied into many more plants than the little bag of bulbs I bought.  This is another plant that I don't think would like the heat, but they do fine during summer and stay green all year round.  

The white iris are getting started.  These are usually the first blooms of the year, but even they're confused by the early spring.  This is the only stand that has flowers open.  I have these all over the garden.  They're not very tall, so they shrink into the background during summer, but I enjoy having the early flowers all around.  

This orchid is putting on a really good show, so wanted to share it.  I love the green flower with the brown center.  I saw this one and loved it.  I don't know if they're particularly fragile or not, but I've killed a couplel.  Hopefully, this one will be the one that lasts.  

I don't think I give my orchids enough light.  They bloom in winter when the trees have lost their leaves.  I'm thinking of taking a couple out to the greenhouse for spring.  I don't think they'd like it out there during summer, but spring outside should be nice for them.  

I started a shirt for Rob.  I got it cut out and the front and back together on Saturday.  I've made the collar and am ready to attach it and the collar stand.  This one has extra size in the arm and I"m interested to see how Rob likes it.  

I needed to go to the new office last week.  The day was built up as a building tour and getting to know the new facility.  There are no assigned desks, so it's a free for all.  They offer monitors but no keyboards or mice or any other office supply.  Fortunately, I have a "desk in a bag" that I carry.  It has everything I need to get the job done and I bought a small keyboard yesterday so I don't have to keep the laptop open (I like having two monitors, but the laptop makes three and that's too much to keep up with.). I had been to a meeting where they showed us the floor plan.  I knew more about the facility than the manager that was leading the tour and when the managers would start to dilly-dally around, I'd move the tour forward to the next fascinating destination.  And, as is traditional in my team, the 5 guys who all have private offices kept having impromptu meetings in the cubicle farm where the rest of us work.  It's like they can't possibly meet in one of those large offices with extra chairs and a window view, so they have to meet in the middle of people that are trying to get something done.  I guess that will never change.  I still don't plan to spend any more time in office than they make me.  And, if they try to make me too much, I'll mention maybe moving my retirement date up a little.  That should bring a stop to that.  

You know I love to share the thoughts of others that are pithier than me.  I loved this one.  

And this one.

Everybody have a great week!  If your state votes on Super Tuesday, I hope you voted early and don't have to stand in line or that you make it out to vote.  It may not feel important because we've been cornered into making an awful choice because of an ancient man's fragile ego, but it's still important because there are other races down ballot from there where we need to make our voices heard before the false-christian nationalists try to take us all out unless we bend a knee to their racism, homophobia and bigotry.  

Lane