So encouraging to see! We are actually having a period of spring-like temps, but colder again by the next weekend, so I hope my plants, inside and out, stay asleep. I do have little snowdrop noses peeking out, which is cute and no problem. That's my encouragement that spring is on its way. Don't you have snow these days? I got pictures of grandkids in the snow.

As cold as it is, it may be hard to believe, but the days are getting longer and spring is coming. Just last thursday, we saw the local bald eagles courting already. They jump the gun and start laying their eggs before the end of January, but that works for them. Both of the last two years they fledged all three of their hatchlings. Of course it is still bitter cold, but the increase in daylight is starting to help.

Looking good, Jacob! Seeing how well things are going for your garden sure makes me want a greenhouse even more! I hope I can manage that before I get too old to garden. My peas are doing ok. I planted some blue ones this time, and Little Marvel. I've never measured how long the rows are, but I put in more than I usually do. Peas are such a good source of protein. We just used the last of what I had in the freezer. I'm hardening off tomato plants and pepper plants, they've been in and out of the patio door and the back door, depending on how windy it is, and depending on how close we get to freezing. I had some big empty tubs and a big tote I didn't use for anything else so I set the cups of plants down into those. The high sides have been some extra protection from the wind and that has worked really well for me. I've looked at our extended forecast on Accuweather and looks like we have a few below-freezing mornings that weren't there when I checked last, April 1 being the last one. I don't have anything in the garden yet that isn't able to tolerate a little frost. I intended to be getting my tomatoes transplanted by now but that didn't happen and has been a good thing. I guess I'll wait awhile longer. I lost about half the cuttings I started rooting but if I don't lose any of the original plants I'll have plenty for us. I had good luck with the first few that I experimented with. I think what I did wrong with the second wave was that I didn't leave the cuttings in water very long before putting them into soil. I think they need at least a 24-hour soak in water in order to hydrate fully. Getting my tomatoes into the ground is going to be a challenge as I'm having more trouble with my knee replacement and I might be looking at some more surgery. This year we have laid cardboard down in the garden with wood chips to keep the wind from blowing it around, and we'll cut holes in the cardboard and set the plants down into the hole. Hopefully the cardboard will keep down the weeds and will help hold on to what little water we seem to be able to get. Oh, and my tomato cages are going to be anchored down with concrete block this year. I have a lot of trouble with the wind blowing them over when the tomato plant gets large and full of tomatoes. Later on, I'll show you some of the tomato cages we have made out of 3 sections of concrete reinforcement wire. I was unable to source it in flat panels so I had to buy a roll, which was badly bent-up the further we got into the roll, and that was a problem. But I like the way they fold flat for storage. Here's how to make them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWsA80jfIyc By the way, I would recommend buying a pair of bolt-cutters for this project, much easier cutting the wire that way. Plus your sheets of reinforcement wire are easier to get home from the hardware store because you can cut them to size right out in their parking lot with your bolt-cutter and bring them home in a stack in the back of your truck instead of those floppy, hard to transport sheets. And DEFINITELY tie them down securely before driving off with them in the back of the truck, either way. A horrible accident waiting to happen otherwise. We made ours with hooks bent into the wire to hold the pieces together but have found they catch on each other when you've stored them flat for the winter. Next ones we make will have no hooks on the open side and I'll just tie them together with strips of old t-shirt. Also,where the panels are connected to each other permanently, I think I'd rather use zipties. There are lots of different versions of making these but the above youtube is a good start. Your onions are really looking good. I don't have very good luck with giving them a "haircut", have had several die after that. I think my scissors are not sharp enough and might be tugging on the plants a little during the cutting process. I do my onions a little different than you do. One year I started some in a wintersowing milkjug and they did really well. I cut off the top of the jug when the onions were pretty thick, and tipped the block of soil and onions out of the bottom of the jug. The onion roots held it together enough that I could set it into a depression I dug in the garden and then I let them just grow that way for a month or so before digging them out and separating them to plant individually. That worked really well for me. I had open-polinated onions that year so I allowed some of them to remain in the garden and make seed. This year I used hybrid Candy onion seed. If I buy hybrid seed, I order the bigger quantities if they are available so I can get a better value, and then I keep the extra seed in the freezer for future years. I have lost track of what kind of onion seed I planted this time, but I think it was the Candy and not the OP seed. Some people will tell you Candy onions won't keep all winter but I'm still eating some small ones I kept in the refrigerator in the garage. I chopped the biggest ones and put them in the freezer, and I use them in cooked dishes. I also save the bottoms of the onion that I cut off when I'm ready to use the onion, and put them back into the ground. Some of them will make a new onion or two.

Kristine - I don't know. That's what I did with my leg...I pushed through the pain and walked for 2 hours and I haven't been able to walk more than a block every once in awhile since December. So maybe you should rest your hand. I actually have 2 Sheila's Perfumes coming (one my daughter got for me...and another from B.C that's coming)...I've been trying to get SP for about 5 years...so I thought...I have the chance to get another...I'm going to get it. Good luck in finding one for yourself. :) I've always been an admirer of Easter Basket!! So pretty!! Not sure if it has fragrance. I've never seen it available...good for you! Kitty - you're still working hard!! I get tired thinking of it. LOL Awesome about your peonies poking through...that's a favorite thing of mine...peonies when they start to grow. Thanks for the pictures...so awesome to see your flowers/leaves waking up. :) Diane - oh that's SO good to hear!!! You're vaccinated and now you had a wonderful day!! And you didn't have to cook!! Awesome! :) :) Thank heavens, things are getting back to normal for you! Magpie. - oh gosh!!! Those colors are so lovely together! I'm glad you shared that with us! Trish - :) :) chilly weather were you live and same here. Snow last night. Melted though. It's 3C/37F. That's too bad that your season wasn't as good as you hoped...I'm sure that the trees shading the yard aren't helping. At first I thought you meant that was a cross that you had hybridized of Mrs. Dudley. LOL Then I googled it and realized that is its name. It's stunning! Please go to the new thread Spring is Here Seasonal Thread :) https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6105639/spring-is-here-seasonal-thread