It is finally getting light around 5:30 in the morning and I can hear the birds outside while I'm pulling together. Seems unusual this year, although it shouldn't be. I suspect it is because it is still so cold. For a brief time yesterday, there was snow in our forecast for later in the week. It's changed back to 'showers' but it gives one cause to think. I'll be heading over to the other side of the mountains in about a week, and I still have to worry about whether I have chains in the car?!?!?

The wild currents are blooming like crazy around the side of the house. I really need to take some suckers and plant them closer to the front where I can see and enjoy them more. Our cherry and plum trees are blooming wonderfully. They're fruit trees so they don't have the colored blossoms, but the white flowers look luminous in the early morning light. I just hope they're not blooming too soon to get fertilized. Also along the side of the house where I don't see them: I've got some green gage plums growing. I knew there was a tree back there, but it never produces much fruit so it tends to be ignored. Last year, when all the italian plums failed to produce much of anything, I found too late that 1) I had a new group of green plums growing on the other side of the yard, and 2) they'd apparently had a wonderful season. I'll have to try to keep a better eye on them this year.