Spring Blossoms

 Crocus

April Record!

Sunshine for two days in a row!  Wow!  There is hope.  Since I have about 500 tiny plants in my basement, I seriously need the weather to warm up and Spring to really start happening here!

Mr. Moose returned yesterday for another snack.  He stood out in the field for about ten minutes and then started for the fruit trees (he's already pruned them once) ---- so Jon got out the bottle rockets.  He was unaffected by the fireworks.  Jon came back in the house and got his shotgun.  The very loud shots worked.  (scared me and the neighbors)  Mr. Moose went running into the timber and out came two whitetail deer.  It's never a dull moment around here. It seems there's always a critter who wants to eat my trees, shrubs, perennials.......

I checked the white wine yesterday and it has cleared so it is time to bottle that carboy.  I am going to check the grape and dark cherry wine today.  Bottling wine is a project for the next rainy day.  I'm sure there will be one.

Fresh Snow this morning

We woke up to more fresh snow this morning.  Spring is having a difficult time arriving in Hope.  I checked the latest La Nina conditions and now the forecasters say that we are headed for neutral conditions by June.  That should help the conditions for this summer's garden as the forecast would then be for warmer than normal temps and drier than normal precipitation. 

The First Spring Wildflower

 Jon found the first wildflower today.  I took several photos, but they are tiny little things so my photos are so-so.


Coptis occidentalis, Idaho Goldthread, is plant native to western North America. It is a member of the buttercup family. This plant has also been known under the binomial Chrysocoptis occidentalis and the common name western goldthread.
The Idaho goldthread is a spring flowering plant, usually found in moist coniferous forests.

 Idaho Goldthread

New member of our family

One day old.  We haven't decided on a name yet.  Maybe Maggie or Lady. I almost forgot to mention that she was born on April 1st, which is also Mollie's birthday! Mollie is the best dog in the whole world so this puppy is surely the next best dog in the whole world.