Around OakMeadows

Around OakMeadows 

We had planned to go birding at Brazos Bend State Park this morning but the weather was not cooperative. So that has been postponed until Thursday. 

Signs of an early spring are popping out: little white flowers in the grass, a green haze over the large acacia, and pink buds on the crabapple. The true herald of spring has not sounded yet: the mockingbird singing night and day to hold his territory.  With the exception of a couple of days, we have had an exceedingly mild winter. Perhaps that why we had so few goldfinches this year; we usually have 20-30 scarfing down thistle as fast as we can fill up the feeders but this year the most we ever saw at one time was 6. 

I am so anxious to get out and start getting our butterfly garden going.  This year we are adding two new plants, Blue Mist flower and Mexican Flame vine.  I want to expand the milkweed beds and add more salvia too. But nothing can be done until after the trip to London which is fast approaching. What is going on in your garden? Or are you buried in snow and garden catalogs?

Oh my, do I have a good book to recommend if you like historical fiction. America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray is next to perfection in my opinion.  Thomas Jefferson's daughter tells the story of her life with her father after the death of her mother.  We were at Monticello last summer and I can visualize the rooms and gardens on the mountain. I've not finished it yet but so far it is well written, interesting, and historically accurate.  Are you reading anything really good?

I am putting together a Sampler Quilt top using blocks that I pieced by hand about 30 years ago.  It will go to be machine quilted when it is together. Here are some of the blocks:

That's all the news from OakMeadows where the cats are spoiled rotten and so are the people.