Outdoor dreams??? Well, let's start with the 200,000 dollar + dream backyard/oasis. In ground pool, diving rock, grotto, lazy river, hot tub, etc with the beautifully landscaped yard surrounding it with raised gardens, accent lighting and the gardener/pool boy to maintain it all. More realistic (not NECESSARILY requiring a huge lottery win) would be replacing the chain link fence with a privacy fence for the backyard (8,000-10,0000) and finish having the driveway poured. Our current driveway is mostly gravel with only a small portion of it concrete. We sit on a corner lot and our property is higher than the roads. Our driveway curves from one road to the other, I.e. very long, and expensive to pour. Since our driveway is uphill from all directions, during the winter there are times we can't get up our driveway. Once we reach the concrete, we have the traction to reach the house. The issue is literally timing and gunning the engine at the entrance to the driveway at just the right moment in order to make it from the road to the concrete. I'm hoping that in the next year or two that we can at least finish the concrete to the road on the garage side entrance so we don't have to leave our vehicles in the snow drift on the road and hike to the house. Did I mention that my new stove and fridge are coming on Friday? I will post a picture when they arrive. I'm so excited to finally have new appliances (a first for me) AND they are what I wanted and picked out!!

Yes, I have feeders for hummingbirds here, Tom, and will hang some for them in Hattiesburg. I'm so sorry about your porterweed! Mine never make it to 10' because I either dig them up in early winter and keep them in a pot inside, or they die in the ground. I don't think they can take even a light freeze. My most productive plant for both hummers and butterflies is the butterfly bush 'Orange Septre' - hummers don't like the regular B. davidii types of butterfly bush, but they LOVE this one. I rooted one to plant in Hattiesburg. Once I get moved in I'm going to have to have surgery on my retina - no peace or rest for the weary! Sherry

It's definitely a bit later this year than last, but I wouldn't call it abnormal. Last year was VERY mild in comparison. Interesting year-over-year data recorded at DIA: February 2017 was the 6th warmest in history at 7.6F warmer than normal and we reached the only 80F temperature on record during the month of February (on the 10th even, which is mind boggling). February 2018 was 2.6F below normal and we hit -7F on the 21st. March 2017 was the 3rd warmest in history at 7.5F warmer than normal. We had two highs above 80F. March 2018 was only 2.3F above normal. April 2017 was 1.5F warmer than normal. Interestingly, we didn't hit 80F at all. April 2018 is running -.7F as of 04/05/18. Long range forecasts are calling for April to be slightly below normal overall with a trend towards dry, as well. The weather next week is supposed to be quite warm and I would bet we'll see lots of things coming into bloom soon. All signs are pointing to a very warm and dry summer season in Colorado and all of the Rocky Mountain region. I hope "dry" means no hail (I was lucky not to get any last season at all) - that's the only thing I really "fear" during the gardening season.

Not great lighting for pics, but a couple spruces are doing their thing: Picea pungens 'Procumbens' It used to be very stiffly horizontal, but the left side started upturning last year or so. Usually even more intense blue. Picea abies 'Pendula' Picea glauca 'Rainbow's End' Picea pungens 'Thume'