Happy Spring!

It's been pretty chilly around here still, so i wasn't sure what i'd find when i took a stroll around our yard this morning. But you know what? It's finally happening! Here are the very first (and few) signs of spring that caught my eye. Look at the vitality in these greens!

And these complementary purples and yellows are dazzling our garden (and hearts) with their simple, graceful beauty.

Even though spring happens everywhere in some form or other, the signs of its return are different depending on where you live. What are you noticing around you that makes you happy at this time of year? Please hop over to my Facebook page and post a photo of spring in your corner of the world. I'd love to see and share in the excitement at this time of year! Southern Hemisphere friends, your pictures of early autumn are welcome too!

With sunlight extending the active hours of the day, Tolstoy got it right when he wrote:

“Spring is the time of plans and projects.” ~ Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

We are not short of either around here! How about you? Some of you may follow along with me on Instagram and already know about my first “winter sowing” milk-jug experiment. For those of you who don't, here's the lo-down. In late February, Pete and i planted seeds for our summer vegetable garden (and a few perennials) in plastic milk jugs:

They went outside onto our deck the day after we planted them. Then they got snowed on:

TWICE!

But, it appears to be working – with lettuces, spinach, and now peas and zinnia babies peeping to life (okay so you have to squint to find that pea shoot in the lower right)! I took these photos through the hole in the top of each container:

Thanks to my friend Joelle of Purl Soho for letting me know about this process and for her encouragement — especially after the snow! Disbelief has given way to delight.

I'll leave you with another of my favorite quotes for this time of year:

“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”
~ Margaret Atwood

And i have to admit, we usually do!

Enjoy your day!

xo,

kate