Another Spring

I like the end of February and the beginning of March. Even last year after such damaging freezing weather the spring flowers were beautiful. This year, after a very mild winter, the bulbs are coming on strong again. The snow-in-summer is lush and will bloom nicely later. My gophers don't care for my daffodils, probably because they are poisonous, so they come back thicker each year.

I wish I could say the same about my dutch iris. They did not survive the ravages of the hungry gophers and I have given up trapping them. I just do not like emptying the traps. Ewww. Any iris I get in the future will go into pots. They don't seem to perform as well but they do survive and I must have dutch iris. Maybe next year. I'm just glad the daffodils thrive.

The pink jasmine will bloom soon. We missed them last year because they froze to twigs. They are about ready to pop it seems.

I like my mallow. The bush doesn't seem to have a very long life but it valiantly makes any effort worthwhile.


These are a pleasant surprise. White violets are springing up all over my back yard in all kinds of places. Very cute.


You can barely see it in the picture just above the green grass and down an embank- ment at the end of the tracks but you can sure hear it. The river behind our house is dry most of the year and has been dry for several years now even in the winter because of our extended drought. This year it is rushing and gurgling, even roaring to get to the sea. It is so pleasant to leave the windows open and listen to it as one drifts off to sleep. Only once, in an El Nino year, have I seen the entire river bed full to the brim, and then some. This has been just an average rainfall year.

Last year I was perturbed at the rabbits because they destroyed what little was left after the freeze but this year is different. There is plenty for them to eat and so we share the yard. Here is a zoomed in shot taken from inside of one of three baby bunnies that I spied out back. They seem to scatter at the slightest noise. As they get older they will become more bold like their parents but now it is a treat to see them.