IS ANYONE READING THIS?!?!?!?

It is finally spring here in NW Oklahoma.
They say that the average date for the last freeze here is April 10-15. Last week we didn't have any freezing temperatures, and so I am hopeful we are finally going to get spring weather. The temperatures last week were very pleasant. Even though it was pretty windy, we had some nice days.

Last week the redbuds broke out in color, the daffodils and jonquils were blooming, and then the creeping phlox bloomed and gave us a blanket of color at ground level. The vinca is blooming and spreading and the varigated vinca is coming up where I transplanted sprigs last year. Tulips given to me by Jana also bloomed. The henbit's green leaves look like the ground is green, and underneath that the grass is starting to green up. Andy has had to mow twice already!

Yesterday, a walk around the property showed me that one of our japanese red leaf maples survived and is putting on leaves. The ajuga has put out spikes of purple flowers. The columbine has buds that should open in the next few days, and I even saw a new baby columbine coming up. I saw mouse ear coreopsis getting ready to put on blooms. The rose of sharon is putting on leaves. I saw two buds on the irises in Marjorie's garden.

I started a new bed at the level of the front row of trees, that will be seen from the road when I get flowering shrubs and plants in it. So far I've only put a row of monkey grass as a border and a lantana at each end. . . .

We hunted for mushrooms on Saturday of Easter weekend, as we had heard from some locals that they had found mushrooms, and the weather conditions were right. Since no one will share their hunting grounds, we had to fend for ourselves and just go tromping through the woods. I got pretty scratched up, but it was a fun outing. We went to two different locations on the South Canadian River. The first trip was a bust, and on the second outing I spied one (1) single mushroom! Unfortunately, the area we were in looked like it had been overrun by armadillo or wild pig, and we didn't find any more mushrooms. But one of our friends from church was generous enough to share their mushroom bounty with us, so we had some morels for Easter dinner. Thanks, Dee and Kevin! Andy went hunting again with a couple of guys the weekend after Easter, but they weren't successful in finding any. Now the season is over, I am told. But I might still go out to our gully and look one last time.

With mushroom hunting season also comes the beginning of snake season -- but the critters are still moving slow, I am told. We just have to be aware and careful when in the woods. I have my trusty stick by the door, to grab when I go out hiking.

A NEW PLAY

Andy is working on the sets at the local Theatre for a new children's play that will be staged in mid-April. Rehearsals are underway and, being on the theatre board, I will be busy for the next couple of weeks helping get things set up.

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Our B&B is filling up quickly with reservations for the summer! We have some weekends booked for July and August, so April and May would be a good time for our friends from Dallas to come visit. The New Mexico room should be finished and furnished sometime in April. Both the Texas Room and the Oklahoma room are rented through March and possibly into April. We have some very nice guests with us right now. We hope they are here long enough to get to see the beauty of the grounds this spring, and enjoy sitting on the deck in nice weather.

Even though it is over 60 degrees today, there is snow in the forecast for this coming weekend. Fortunately, it isn't going to stay cold and the snowfall is only expected to be "flurries", so by Monday we should be back to nice weather.

Andy and I have strolled around the property and made plans for spring trimming, path clearing, and flower planting in strategic spots. I am excited to see some of the early blooming perennials starting to put on new growth: three varieties of coreopsis, coneflower, purple columbine, and shasta daisy are looking healthy. Irises and daylillies are sprouting. The quince and currant are about to "pop". Sadly, the forsythia we planted last spring isn't looking too good, though it does have some live branches. I can see that one of the japanese red-leaf maples we planted survived the winter but I can't tell if the second one did -- I should be able to see signs of life on that one by mid-April.

I planted potatoes, lettuces, cilantro, and spinach last weekend, and parsley is already growing from seed planted at the end of last season. I also planted some seeds for tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant and put them in a covered shelf unit that will hopefully have the effect of a hothouse. I have to rake up lots of leaves now that the days are getting warmer and the sun is out. I haven't see any signs of bluebonnets yet, but am still hopeful -- maybe this next little wave of moisture will help them to germinate.

SPRING IS ON ITS WAY!!

On Saturday, Andy and I walked around the property looking for signs of plant life. The temperature got up to 58 degrees and it was sunny. We found some flowering crocus, and buds on the flowering quince, forsythia, and the currant bushes. These are always the first harbingers of spring, and they will bloom while it is still cold. The daffodils and jonquils are sending up shoots but no buds are showing yet. They should appear in the next two weeks. The irises are sending up new shoots. I am hesitant to pick up the dead leaves that are acting as mulch, because there might be another cold spell, but I think next weekend I'll start on that job. I did cut back some of the dead from the chyrsanthemums and canna lillies. The Colorado spruce seedlings have survived and look healthy.

I sowed some Indian Blanket, gallardia, and bluebonnet seed in the front field. We'll just have to wait and see what comes up and where.

The weather was so nice on Saturday that Andy got the Desoto out and we took it for a ride.

ITS STILL COLD

I am now getting impatient for spring weather, as is everyone else I talk to. I would even be happy with 40 and 50 degree temperatures. The good thing is that we have had some moisture lately, and I am hopeful that once the temperatures rise we will have morel mushrooms!

On the other hand, I see that Dallas is getting its share of cold weather and snow this month.

It's time for me to sow some seeds for spring blooms (larkspur, bluebonnet and other wildflowers, etc.) and also start some vegetable seedlings in the house. We are still shooting to have the New Mexico room completed by the end of March.

GROUND HOG SAW HIS SHADOW - THEY SAY!

I didn't see it, but the news reports were that the groundhog saw his shadow, so we'll have six more weeks of winter. I think we would have that much more winter whether the groundhow saw it or not. None of the critters saw their shadow here, as it has been cloudy and overcast and snowy for several days. The sun is just now coming out at the end of this week and the temperatures are above freezing. But there is another front coming through on Sunday/Monday. It doesn't look like it will produce much precip, but the temperatures will be below freezing. The cold temperatures (40+) aren't so bad when it is sunny and when it isn't windy. I have a touch of cabin fever and am eager to invite friends over for small dinner parties.

The freezing temperatures have prevented Andy from doing any tile work for over a week, but he's made some progress -- gotten the shower and the main floor done. We've picked up some sample colors for the bathroom and the bedroom and painted swatches on the wall. The New Mexico room is a bright room and I want to use a little bit of turquoise color in addition to the earthtones we've chosen.

We have guests coming next weekend (Feb 12), and have already gotten several reservations for August! We also have some guests staying during the week for the next few weeks. Everyone who has stayed with us have been very kind, friendly and interesting. This venture of ours is a great way to meet new people and make new friends and acquaintances. Our winter visitors are getting to see the property with snow and aren't doing any hiking, but are enjoying the fireplace and quiet solitude.


We have our current rates posted in a brochure and on our website, but we are still offering discounted rates through April. We have the local TROUT DERBY coming up the first weekend in March, a TRAIL RIDE, and an all-town Garage Sale that draws people from outside of our immediate town.

I still can't wait until Spring arrives. This coming weekend I plan on sowing seeds for spring blooms.

COLD SPELL IS OVER -- FOR NOW!

We have come through one of the coldest cold spells in Oklahoma history. But now it is warming up -- temperatures this week will his the 50's and maybe even as warm as 60 degrees! It's only mid-January, so we will surely have more cold (I mean below freezing) temperatures at some point. I can only wish for temperatures in the 40's and higher for the rest of the winter. I went to Dallas this past weekend, and it was sunny and in the high 60's. It was green there. It made me eager for the spring here.