Flowers are blooming and the oaks are budding with new leaves. I hear cranes overhead heading North. Before long I guess it will be time to mow the dang lawn.

Funny, even under 7 or 8 inches of snow and ice, my Saint Augustine grass never went totally brown.

isn't it grand

I stopped and bought a bunch of stuff for the orchard and garden on my way home from town this afternoon.

I've already got my hoops for tunnels in place. They get covered with heavy duty Remay garden cloth. For the next few weeks the hoop covered Remay will also be covered with 4-mil clear plastic.

Before dark, I hope to be putting in cabbage and lettuce plants, along with some onion sets. The potatoes have been cut and are basking in sulphur for a few days. I'll also be putting in some fresh new raspberry plants. The asparagus bed will get a few bucketfuls of composted manure.

I need to spread "spring mix" deer/turkey seed on one more 1/4-acre wildlife plot that I plowed last fall,and leveled/raked last week.

Snow is forecast for tonight, so I better get back to work.

However, I might get distracted. The crappie have been voracious lately in the late afternoons.

Happy spring everyone!

Yep, Spring is here in south Louisiana! Even the pecans are leafing out.

I discovered that a few varieties of low chill fruit trees had been developed so I put in four apple, four plum, six peach, six nectarine, two cherry, two loquat, two pear, three fig, two persimmon and about ten more pecan trees. I know the persimmon, loquat, fig and pecan will do well; I'll reserve judgment on the others except for one of the peach trees that looks like it's declining if not already gone.

Most of the trees came from Womack Nursery and Willis Nursery; both companies send out beautiful plants.

All of the citrus I have made it through the winter and are covered with blossoms.

I also invested in a 35hp Scag mower and got rid of the 27hp one. Just that 8hp difference reduced the time I was spending mowing grass by almost half.

Dave, I found growing Bermuda by the drive yesterday. It's too early for that, but I'll sure take it.

The only things we really sweated this winter were 2 Japanese Maples we planted late last year. Both are covered in blooms, so they both apparently survived all the winter weather just fine.

I used to love spring, and everything it brought. For the last few years however, I have dreaded its arrival. One day I hope to reach a place when I can enjoy it again.

Hang in there, sprkplug!

This spring wlll go faster than the last...

I wish I lived next door to you, Ken. I love the stuff you do. I hope I get there one day.

Spring = Mower and trimmer tuneups and crazy busy and end of Maple Syrup season?

Let us know about your BB housing project...can't wait to see your broods. I heard them last weekend, but no nests yet. I think they're coupling up and feeding heavily. Not sure on what though - no major insect hatches here yet - nights are still pretty chilly.

We have Crokus blooming around the home, lawns are beginning to green, white throated sparrows are migrating and stopping by the feeders which is a biannual joy. I love their songs...joyful!

Supposed to be over 60 tomorrow and Thursday.

I hope the water temps get up there so the fish will start taking feed again.

Been a long, cold winter. Had snow this morning, and the weekend is already looking cold again. Crap...

It's around the corner Sunil - it's cooled down here too, but at least not snowing. Fish been feeding since ice out around March 10th here. Not too heavy, but still great to see.

I tried to throw some feed out over the past weekend, but no takers.

Can't wait to see what's going on in this pond.

80's here today. Storm coming in which will lower temps into the 60's and 70's for the next 4 or 5 days.

38 here. Ground is still snow covered from the 5 inches of snow we recently got. No ice on our little puddle. Storm moving in so we should get some needed rain. I am amazed by all the "little fish being chased by bigger fish" activity I am watching on the pond this evening. I thought the water would still be too cold for aggressive feeding. Hopefully, it is the YP hammering the FHM, fattening up a little before they spawn in a few weeks.

Sparkie,

FWIW Just a thought. IMHO Think back to why you used to like spring then look around. Is it still there and maybe you just don't see it anymore? What's that old saying? Take time to stop and smell the roses. Just my 2 cents.

Open water and Robbins mean spring time for me. Unfortunately neither is here yet!

One of my farmer friends tells me...the snow must hit the Robbins back three times before spring can come. Since they aren't even here yet, I'm a little depressed!

Ugh, you can have all my blasted Robins...been waking me up at 4 AM for the past several weeks. One thing I miss about Winter...no more early morning Robin wake up calls.

They are noisy critters for shore. They winter down here so we hear a different tune from them while they are here



Pat

They are also one of the worst blueberry thieves I've ever seen--not to mention they crap on everything.

they are long-gone in south Miss. when blueberries ripen... We see them in the winter by the hundreds hopping around in the dead grass looking for small insects, I guess?? They have likely moved on already.

Tilaia, Bass and FHM have already been spawning for a bit.
All the robins have dispeared, I think spring has nearly come and gone for me. Its very short lived. Bring on the heat.

Joyous times have returned!!! (at least to the 1/4 acre neighborhood pond)

Threw out some feed....4-5 minutes or so, and saw a 5" bluegill looking.

Some more feed thrown...another 5 mins.....nothing.

Was going to leave.

Stayed instead. Saw a boil where some feed had drifted.

Walked over there. Saw one LMB...then a second...

Then a shiner...

Soaked some Aquamax Largemouth....threw some out......a nibble from a LMB......

Then it was on....the LMB were back on the large feed.

Didn't see any YP, CC, or HSB, but let the good times roll!!!!!!!!!!

Water temp was 48/49 or so.

Relearned the lesson of...you have to put the time in watching.

That is awesome man!!

How can you be ahead of me? My temps about 4:30 PM today, about 24 inches below the top, were about 43 degrees on the pond that gets the most sun. The pond that doesn't get as much sun was at about 40 degrees.

A few crappies are grabbing jigs on the warmer/bigger pond. I also hook at least one hybrid striped bass if I walk around that pond with a jig. Not even an attempt by any fish on the cooler pond, which has just HBG and HSB and CC.

We had "peepers" and some other frogs on Monday night for the first and only time this season.

We also had freezing rain overnight, and it was about 30 degrees and raining when I got up this morning about 7:00 AM.

I want to get the garden started, but ...

You guys pipe down already! You're killing me here. Still locked in ice, at least a foot, and expecting more snow tomorrow.
It has not gotten to 50 yet this year. Grrr....

Dangit man got some sun today and 80 deg. Sometimes it's nice to live in texas

I have to correct my post above. I had to go to the tractor shed a little earlier this evening. The peepers were peeping. It is 38 F degrees and warming up. We are now expecting thunderstorms tomorrow.

According to the forecast, today will be our last 'warm' day for the next (5) days.

If it's not too rainy, I imagine the feeding will be off the hook after work today.

Ken, this pond is in my neighborhood closer to Pittsburgh, not the main pond out in Somerset.

After that joyous Wednesday of last week, the good times dried up!!!

Nights back into the teens, and days in the low to mid 40's if that.

Tried to throw some feed yesterday evening, but no. No takers.

This week could return to joyous times.....

85 degrees at my place this past Sunday. I filled a few deer feeders and broke a sweat! I do like the spring!

It snowed yesterday, hit 52 today. Hopefully that should be the last of it this year. Very rare to get snow in April, but it happens.

Joyous times returned last night with some fish hitting the feed, but as life goes, it was too damn cold to stand there and watch!!!

The day was in the low 50s, but the wind picked up and the temps dropped quickly in the evening.

This evening and tomorrow should be off the hook with all the fish waking up to the feed.

Hit 67 today and sunny, but calling for snow on Easter Sunday.

I think I was about 12 when that last happened, and this would be the second time.

Joyous times were denied yesterday evening.

Didn't take the water temps, but it was in the mid 50's. Nothing hitting the feed.

Today should be awesome though. Mid 60's......leaving work early.....