I love to see those early signs of life in the gardens.  I’m feeling a little sad that we have no crocus or hyacinth to point the way into spring for us.  Surely, that must be done for next year.  Right?

We have snow drops, which we may actually see in another week or so.  Because they are planted on the west side of the barn in a shady spot, they do not come up early.

A couple of years ago Sylvia planted some hollyhocks in “Granny’s Garden.”  It is a sunny flower garden beside the house that was given that name by our granddaughter.  They are flourishing.

Hollyhocks enjoy the sun in this southeast facing garden.

Meanwhile, beside the driveway in the upper walk-out garden, the daffodils are showing signs of life.

How much longer before Daffy shows us her petty-coat and skirt?

I’ve been eagerly awaiting the return of the catnip.  Our best crop came from an area that was disturbed by a (yet unfinished) construction project.  I managed to transplant some and it has taken hold.

Nellie is going to love this!

I harvested a single leaf and took it to Nellie, who became excited about her gift.  She rewarded me with lots of “kitty kisses” on the finger and thumb, which I used to carry it to her.  I’m happy for her, but even happier for us human folk

Yes! Rhubarb coming up. How long until we can make the first pie?

Did you know that another name for rhubarb is “pie plant?”  Great name for it.

Lots of garden work coming up this year.  I’m ready.

Now that winter is over, that is . . .  It was a hard, tough winter for all God’s creatures–at least it was in this part of the world.  Take the deer, for instance.

This shot from March shows how the bold deer have nibbled away at the cedars that flank this end of our house.

They have eaten on cedars that surround our house.

We had a hungry deer population this winter.  Can you see how much more they have eaten of the cedar beside the basement door?

At the bottom of the lawn, they also went after the yews.

In the past 14 years, this is the only time the deer have eaten this much of our yews.

The sad part of this story is that everything looks so dead this spring.  They say that spring will arrive late and be slow in doing so.  But on the positive side of the ledger, the slow warming trend allowed much of the snow melt to sink into the ground and we weren’t faced with severe flooding as we have seen in past years.  It also resulted in fewer problem areas along the secondary (dirt) road that we live beside.

Rejoice the sun is shining and green is peeking.  More on that next time.

For 19 years, Sylvia and I lived just a few minutes drive from Storrs, home of the University of Connecticut.  During that time the sports department hired Geno Auriemma as head coach of women’s basketball.  And a legend began.

In 1995, we were aware that the UConn women were in the NCAA final four.  Sylvia and I walked into a small restaurant about 20 miles from our home.  We were looking for a good place to eat, and this was a scouting trip.  Oh yes it was.

We were seated opposite each other in a booth.  At one end of the room someone had setup a TV set.  The championship game was just starting.  Soon Sylvia and I were seated on the same side of the booth so we could both watch the action.

When we left that restaurant, UConn women had won their first national championship.  Sylvia and I were UConn fans.  It wasn’t hard to follow the Huskies the next season.  Every game was televised, either nationally or state-wide on Public TV.

Last night UConn finished a perfect (40-0) season and the women lifted the university’s ninth national championship in women’s basketball trophy.  Wow!

Photo courtesy of ESPN

And so it came about that I watched my first basketball game of the season, which was also the last game of the season.  It also reminded me of why I had been such an avid fan when we lived in Connecticut.

Photo courtesy Hartford Courant

Yesterday was a great day.  Yes, UConn won, but the best part of yesterday is that our younger son, Scott, celebrated another birthday.

The sun is shining and the weather is good.  Ah yes, life is good!

My friend, Bob, posted a photo of his three cats napping on a (for lack of a better description) kitty tower.  I liked the looks of it and inquired about details in an e-mail to him.  His response included a link to the online store where he had purchased his tower.

I followed the link, checked out the options and placed an order.  It arrived on Tuesday just before lunch time.  The bulky 59-pound package was not something I could easily carry, so I rolled it over obstacles and pushed it across the floors.

Soon, I had the parts laid out and had begun assembly.  It went together easily.  For now, I’ve left off the highest level.  The photo shows why.

Assembled and in place

The big question would this appeal to Nellie as much as it did to me.  It didn’t take long to discover the answer.

“I like it.”

Then she discovered her favorite part of her tower.  From there she can watch me in my recliner, and she can see what’s happening in her kitchen.  (That’s where her food bowl is, and a gal must keep an eye on that.  Right?

Queen of all she surveys

Life is good.