AI says: “When sap rises in a tree, the water and nutrients stored in the roots during winter are transported upwards through the trunk to the branches, providing the necessary energy for new buds to open and leaves to grow, essentially marking the tree’s awakening from its winter dormancy as temperatures rise in the spring.”

I don’t know about you, but I usually start to get spring fever about this time of year. Although it was snowing last week, a very beautiful soft snow that melted by lunch time, there is still the feeling of spring in the air. And I feel my sap rising. I’m coming out of “dormancy”. I’m waking up.

What about you?

I have a Hellebores plant, also know as a Lenten Rose, that has been blooming for awhile, even in the snow. They are related to the buttercup family.

I always thought that buttercups and jonquils were the same thing, but not so. Buttercups are classified as “Ranunculus” while jonquils as “Narcissus jonquilla” a type of daffodil.

Did you know that jonquils are poisonous? They can cause serious illness or even death. Buttercups are poisonous, also, and it is recommended not to handle them.

Now how many bouquets of these flowers did you pick as a child, and you are still here. But, once you know something, it pays to be cautious and spread the word. The Jonquils are blooming now and that always perks me up in the springtime.

When I walk around my flower beds and garden this time of year, they seem dead, except for the prolific weeds, but signs of life are showing.

One tiny crocus is close to blooming.

This is the time of year I buy flower seeds, and start dreaming of flowers and vegetables growing and immaculate flower and garden beds. I get close to that reality—immaculate—but never quite reach it. My hope that I will never dies.

I wrote in my list of goals for this year, to have the flower beds and garden cleaned and planted by May 15th. I’m already running a little late. As you can see from the seed packets in the picture above, I don’t have my sugar snap peas planted yet and I should have planted them in January. I just didn’t have a garden bed ready for them, but I’m hoping to — soon.

I bought many of these seeds from the Dollar Tree. I’ve had great success with their seeds in the past. I also buy my hummingbird feeders from Dollar Tree because they are easy to clean and refill. I throw them away at end of season to prevent carrying over bacteria to the next year. Last year the hummingbirds arrived back at my house mid-March.

(I love the garden angel in the picture. It was given to me from a sweet friend who knew my heart.)

I like to go back and look at pictures from past years for inspiration—to remind myself … it can be done—I can have close to immaculate beds.

Note the chicken in the picture above. She is still getting out this year and she has dug in this same flower bed and actually cleaned it of quite a few weeds. I’m grateful to her.

In 2021 I planted squash in my front flower bed. They were lush and beautiful, but I don’t recall getting many squash from them.

“For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.” Isaiah 61:11

Do you suffer from spring fever at this time of year?