We've had a warm spring thus far--in the 80s most days. I refuse to turn on the air conditioner as long as I can delay the inevitable. This week was cool and breezy, and tomorrow the low is 40F, kinda hard on the tomatoes, peppers and eggplant I planted last week, but what are you gonna do? I could cover them, but I'm headed to Savannah, and I wouldn't have time to uncover. Then, they would roast in the 90s later this week. I'll take my chances. One view of the sleeping porch at Moss Mountain Farm. We've kept the windows open at night too. I have asthma and allergies, but with the help of Clarinex, I can enjoy the cool breezes. Even though the days are hot, the nights are mild and full of sound. Before I go to sleep, I count my lucky stars because the weather has been...

Cornus florida 'Cherokee Chief' blooming in front of my house. You can see the burned edges on the laurels in front of it. We had such a cold and unforgiving winter. Will it freeze tonight? In our house, we always say, "Is the Pope Catholic?" Yes, it's going to freeze. Before the projected cold front robbed my garden of its spring grandeur, I took some pictures in the snow. I want to share the heartbreak that is often a prairie spring. Yes, you read that right. Snow. Confounded snow is falling outside my door and now even collecting slightly on the ground. What started out as small flakes are now large, white and fluffy. I am not amused. The snow won't stick because it was 88F yesterday. The ground is very warm, and that's a good thing. Light snow falls on the back garden in April with a projected hard...

One of the two Pink Knockout roses at the end of the lane before pruning. See all of those dead canes? If I keep it, it will be half this size for summer. Not necessarily a bad thing. As I go about my spring chores in the garden, I've looked at my roses with much dismay. They aren't well. The damage is so bad I pondered whether they have Rose Rosette Disease although I haven't seen the characteristic foliage on any roses that remain in my garden. Remember, I shovel pruned those that were sick. So, let's assume that all of my roses don't have it. I don't know if I could take that. Dead and withered rose cane closeup. I have seen this all over the garden. Only a few roses escaped the carnage. What has caused this damage then? I know my soil is fine because all of...

The back garden after I did a bunch of work this morning. We just finished winter--I hope--and now spring has decided to come on like a fast-moving train. At 1:00 p.m., it's 72F with a forecasted high of 81F. Sounds lovely, but it's also ten degrees too hot for this early in the year. At this rate, my lettuce won't have a productive end in my salad bowl before it turns bitter. The tulips will grow up too fast like leggy teenagers, open themselves up flat as though in supplication to the sun and then, promptly wither. These temps remind me of 2011, but I'm trying to stay calm. Let's hope we don't have another year of hellish temperatures like that one. My soul can't take it. Daffodils count for pure enjoyment. Rodents and deer don't like them, and they return year after year. Instead, let's enjoy our current daffodils...