the winter that wasn't is over

Spring is officially here, even if it has seemed like it has been here all winter. I am not complaining about the mild weather, and I am definitely not complaining about the early appearance of blossoms in my yard.

A little bit of color goes a long way, especially when I am feeling wrapped in gray.

In a surge of energy just before Christmas, I ripped out all of the grass from one side of our front yard and planted it with perennials, shrubs, and lots and lots of bulbs. Gabe was out of town on business, and I stopped at Lowe's for some Christmasey things, only to leave with two cart loads of clearanced plants. He thought I was crazy when he came home and saw our muddy yard. I thought I was crazy with the ache in my back from digging out all that grass, especially when I wasn't sure how much of it would come back up this spring.

Let's just say I am not disappointed:

And the spinach I seeded in the fall found its way onto my dinner plate tonight. I need to invest more in this fall planting strategy. It makes spring all the more exciting.

But nothing is as fun as a spring rain puddle: