Thursday, April 1, 2021

Spring Is Sneaking In Slowly On The Mountain Top

Hello to all my wonderful readers who are still hanging in there after all these months! 

It's amazing how quickly time flies by, even when working from home doing the same thing day after day. 

My Work From Home View

Except for one big thing.....I got my first vaccine on Tuesday, woop woop! 

Spring is slowly starting to arrive to the mountain top, and of all years I think this is the year we need it the most. Those sunny warm days have a way of lifting ones spirits like nothing else - all I want to do is sit on my swing and tilt my face up to the sun and soak in those rays! 

After I put on my Supergoop SPF 50, of course! 

We've been teased with spring weather a few times so far this month, but this morning we woke to snow, and the temps are dropping into the teens tonight. 

I don't know why I'm surprised, after all it is March on the Mountain Top. Last year it was still snowing in late May. 

It is what it is, and I have no control over it. But that doesn't mean I have to like it! 

I have two flats of pansies I picked up a couple of weeks ago that I've been protecting from the frost - soon I'll be able to plant them out, I can't wait to see those pops of color all around again! 

The critters have clearly been munching away all winter on the bulbs I planted in the fall....I see so many holes in the gardens where I know I planted bulbs. Sigh. I guess that's life in the country! 

I read somewhere that they didn't like Alliums so I invested in Alliums in the fall. 

It's true - they don't like Alliums. However, they still dug them up, took a bite out of them, and spit them out. I keep putting them back in the holes, and I keep finding them dug up again. So frustrating! 

It feels so good to start to get the garden beds cleaned up again. My daily walkabouts have resumed, which I have dearly missed. 


The entrance to my house no longer looks like a disaster - not that there's much happening in the way of visitors these days. 


When I was cleaning up the garden steps I removed all the solar lights I had installed years ago. I no longer needed them as my Sweetie had gifted me some hard wired motion lights two years ago for my birthday. What a wonderful gift that was, so incredibly thoughtful and definitely needed! 


I decided to repurpose them in the garden beds by the veggie garden. It will be nice to see them from the deck in the evenings. 


They look so pretty glowing at night! My crooked little country garden looks all fancy now with all the improvements we've made through the years - an arbor and new gate at the entry, edging around the garden beds, the gorgeous path my sweetie installed a few years back, and now lighting - what's next!


Inside the veggie garden the garlic is already coming on strong - I'm so grateful the critters don't like garlic! 

In the lower level, I have most of the seeds already started for this year's garden. The last to go in will be the zucchini and cucumbers. Last weekend I started Cosmos and many types of lettuce - they are already coming up! The magic and beauty of Mother Nature never fails to amaze me. 


I celebrated an anniversary last week - it was my 6 year anniversary of the day I closed on my house. I can't believe it's been 6 years, wow that time has just flown by! 


I still remember that very first time I drove up to what would become my house. I think I started to fall in love instantly....and once I stepped inside that was it, I was sold! 

Six years later and I am still absolutely enamored with my cozy home. There have been so many improvements made in that time, and I've really put my own stamp on it....many times with Sweetie's invaluable help. 

Home sweet home indeed - I am truly blessed. 

30 comments:

  1. I dropped by because of your name Mountain Mama. Love the photos. And your view from the living room. I live in the mountains too. I'm tired of snow and so glad spring is starting to show up.

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    1. Well Sandy, I'm very glad you dropped by! We have had snow flurries all day today, but no accumulation, thankfully. Our temps are warming up again after tonight (teens again, wahhh) so hopefully I can plant my pansies soon!

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  2. Happy Spring, Debbie! SO good to hear from you and your mountaintop treasure. Your garden looks spectacularly neat and tidy. Those little b@$t@rd$ even digging up the alliums! And what is your nemesis weed? Tansy? Why can't they eat that?!
    Here's hoping all your fur babies are happy and healthy. Speaking of which, you will feel a wonderful sense of freedom after that second vaccine and its two week wait afterward! We got our 2nd ones mid-Feb, and most of my family is vaccinated, including my daughters. WV's doing a really good job getting shots in arms, even started going to high schools with our eligibility age lowered to 16 now.
    Do tell...how is your solar system doing for you? Hope to hear an update sometime in this year.
    Take care, and enjoy your Easter!
    Hugs,
    Rita

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    1. Hi Rita, nice to hear you are all vaccinated, I got a nasty comment from an anonymous reader about how all us baby boomers are killing off the universe with our vaccines, etc....and that's why I moderate comments. Amazing. My sweetie has both doses, one of my daughters is fully vaccinated, and I get my second April 28. I will be happy to feel that sense of ease for sure! My solar system is doing great, I actually just got my FIRST electric bill since I had it installed, no doubt because of all the snow that was on my roof for so long! Hope all is well with you, Rita, and you are enjoying your new home!

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  3. Happy 6 years of a happy home Debbie! :) I'm just coming onto one year since I closed on my house! :) Spring looks like it's sprung in the mountains, and I'm happy to say here too, though I haven't seen my garlic coming up yet. So nice to read a post from you. Your house looks wonderful! :)

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    1. Wow, Rain, I can't believe it's been a year - I remember the nightmare when you were moving and had to quarantine and all that fun stuff! We have snow again today, but it's not really accumulating, so that's good. I feel sorry for the spring birds who have already come back - I'm sure they're regretting it!

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  4. I have alliums planted in a big pot from last year. They're spreading and will soon, I imagine, fill the pot. I have squirrels dig in and bury pecans and perhaps moles making holes. But I'm lucky. Nothing seems to eat my plants, etc. Glad to see you here again!
    Brenda

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    1. My problem is the chipmunks, Brenda, and there seem to be about a million of them here. They have a whole network of tunnels under the big perennial bed so they eat the bulbs from underneath. I must have planted about 70 lilies in there and I have not ONE lily left in my garden. It's super frustrating - last year I tried lilies in pots on my deck and even covered them with metal cooling racks - they still got in and ate them! So....I give up on Lilies, sadly, because I love them.

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  5. Shifty little critters, digging up your bulbs, deciding they didn't like it and just leaving it. Suppose it is asking too much for them to replant. A lot has happened since you moved in six years ago. Your girls are out on their own, you lost one beloved pet and gained another one. I always enjoy visiting your mountaintop home!

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    1. You're right, Donna, a lot has happened in 6 years for sure! My older daughter met her sweetie and they got engaged and she finished her masters....my younger daughter bought a house and has the gardening bug like me...we lost our sweet Lily and gained Little Miss Molly...we've lived through a pandemic....and I got old, ha ha!! But I'm still here!

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  6. Good to see a post from you. The mountain top is looking good. I found some stuff at Home Depot and I cannot for the life of me remember the name of it but I am sure you could ask someone at Home Depot. It is the stuff you sprinkle in the holes where you are putting the bulbs and it keeps all the critters away. It worked nicely for me. I planted over 300 bulbs in the fall with that stuff and my beds are full of Spring flowers popping up. They did not dig up my bulbs. Sorry I cannot remember the name but I did get it at Home Depot. Happy Easter. Enjoy the weekend.

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    1. Ooh Kris I am going to google that, thank you I appreciate the tip!! I never knew there was such a product! I wonder if it would make it safe to try Lilies again? Oh how I love Casablanca Lilies! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I'm off to do a little google search!

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  7. So good to see a post from you again, Debbie! Glad to see spring is finally starting to appear on the mountain. Same here in Illinois...so good to see the perennials coming back to life. It was cold the past few days here, but tomorrow in the 50's, Sat in the 60's and Sunday 73! Woo hoo!

    Happy Easter to you and your family.
    xoxo

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    1. Wow 73 on Sunday? What a lovely treat for Easter!! It will be a quiet one here, Melanie, with just sweetie and I and my daughter, but that's alright....at some point we will all be vaccinated and we'll be able to gather again safely! Enjoy your warm weather and have a very happy Easter!

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    1. Thank you very much! And thank you for visiting and commenting!

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  9. Yes, it is a challenge when critters dig up your bulbs. Try covering them with a bit of chicken wire to keep them out. I did that on a new daffodil bed last fall, and it worked. The bulbs were not disturbed and there is enough space for the leaves and flowers to grow through. Your pansies have such happy faces! We had a hard freeze last night, and will again tonight, hoping the azaleas and the apple trees survive it.

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    1. Yes I was worried about all the buds on the lilacs and forsythia and hydranges, Carole - we had a hard freeze last night and another on the way tonight. Things look up after that, at least for the next ten days. I think I'll take a chance and plant my pansies this weekend!! Funny enough the critters don't bother my daffodils at all, that's the ONLY bulb they leave alone.

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  10. Welcome back! I like solar lights at night, too. At the moment, we have some on the way to the chicken coop, past a couple of perennial beds. It's very handy at night, when I have to check on the chickens later than usual. We had snow yesterday and it is still pretty cold today. Looking forward to more posts from you, as your garden wakes up in spring! -Jenn

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    1. Hi Jenn! I loved my solar lights on the steps, I used to look over the deck railing and see them shining in the evenings, but they aren't needed there any more. Now I'll enjoy them making my veggie garden all fancy schmancy! I have a few others that I am going to install by the garden cottage - they've been sitting in a box in the garage for two years, hope they still work!

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  11. So glad to see your post pop up! I miss your postings. I have had both vaccines, so that is good! I am not sure how long it has been since you visited my blog, but we moved for NC to Florida last fall. We finally finished remodeling my kitchen. If you have time pop over for a visit.

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    1. I will pop over for a visit Penny, how exciting for you! I'm glad to hear you are fully vaccinated, and I look forward to the day I am as well. It will be nice to be able to visit with friends again without having to be so extremely cautious all the time!

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  12. I hope your snow will be gone for good soon. We are well into spring here in Atlanta and I just ordered my zinnia seeds to day. Time to get them into the ground so that I will have my little cutting garden again. xo Laura

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    1. Our snow didn't stick around long, Laura, and I actually got to plant out a few of my pansies - sadly most of my containers were still frozen solid, so hopefully later this week I'll do some more. But the sun is shining and it's 50+ degrees so we are well on our way to spring - yippee!!! I know winter's not done with us yet, but it can't stick around forever! I started zinnia seeds this year, too - I haven't had them in a while, can't wait to see those happy flowers on my deck!

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  13. So glad to see Spring arriving at your cozy homestead. It looks like a lovely flower year
    ahead for you, and of course for the squirrels. Where would we be with out them gnawing away on everything we plant. It is wonderful you can and do start so much by seed. Looking forward to seeing pictures later of growth and blossoms. Glad you got the covid vaccine. We all hope it will help control this. Lynn

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    1. Hi Lynn - yes, I am truly hoping for a more 'normal' summer this year for all our wedding couples and for everyone!! I'm quite the homebody for sure, but a solid year of basically only going out for groceries and such is a lot even for me! As for those darned critters, they've been eating the flowers off my crocuses and my pansies, those little buggers - as if they don't get enough food around here with all the birdseed that drops to the ground and that they steal from the feeders! Oh well, that's life in the country, isn't it?

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  14. just stopped in to say merry and happy Christmas and sure hope you come back to the blog SOON!! You had such a GOOD BLOG!! and I miss it!

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    1. I miss it too, maybe that needs to be my New Year's Resolution!!!!! Wishing you and your loved ones the most joyous holiday season!! xo

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  15. By now you must have gotten the chipmonks under control. In Oklahoma ours is gophers. My father in law used to go to a lical beauty shop and offer to haul off all the hair clippings they wanted rid of. He would put hair into gopher holes all around his yard and gardens. They use their teeth as well as claws to dig into their tunnels. They cant stand to get the hair in their mouths. It got rid of them and is and simple economical.

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    1. That's a great tip, I wonder if it would work on Chipmunks, Kathy? They are hibernating right now - once we see them running around again we know spring has truly arrived!

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