It's Easter

 A very early Easter this year and I have more things blooming in the garden than I've ever experienced in 62 years!  Came home from the west coast last night and today was able to enjoy some crocus, iris reticulata, heather and a couple of pulmonaria (in hot micro climates) in bloom.  It really does feel like spring here.  It had definitely arrived in the Columbia River Gorge and southern WA state.  Yesterday, we visited our favourite people in Rossland and there's still a good pile of snow but you can pretty much walk around on the roads in running shoes or sandals.  I was thrilled to be able to work in the garden today - getting ready to plant peas tomorrow - and most of the perennials are starting to grow.  I know that all my SK friends are waiting for mountains of snow to melt.  I sympathise.  I remember it all too well.  Happy holidays to my teaching friends in SK and let me remind you about Connie's Kaldor's song, "Spring on the prairie comes like a surprise."  Let's hope that it is soon. 

Back At 'Er

 It's springtime in the Kootenays today and we rototilled the garden.  This is actually going to be the area where we plan to do raised beds but it gets the most sunshine in the summer and we haven't managed to figure out the soil around here so we'll buy a bunch of bagged soil and try to grow stuff like we used to do in SK.  One thing I LOVE about here is that we get about two more months of gardening time.  It's a bit early this year compared to our past 6 years, but it is nice to be able to garden from the end of March through October.