Signs of life

After bitter weather, low temps, freezing and thawing, some plants are just intrepid. Here's food getting under way on the patio.  Bittercress, growing well inside the patio, away from the demon landscapers' spraying.

Some of this will go nicely on my soup for lunch.  It grows prolifically around here, in grassy areas, but the only hitch is that they are also areas that get sprayed, so you have to proceed with caution. But I like it as an interesting addition to a green salad.  Or anywhere, really.

And when the leaves drop from trees in the fall, they leave behind the start of buds for next year, always a cheering thought. Here's the Japanese maple.

Then, reason #687878 why I love sedum, here's the Autumn Joy sedum rosettes already making an appearance, under ice and cold, see them, tiny blue green buds there? I'll remove the dead foliage from last year soon, after the rosettes start developing, but for now it's okay for protection.

 

 

All this burgeoning reminds me that in a couple of weeks it will be time for my Annual Witch Hazel Hunt.  The witch hazel blooms in January and there are a couple of bushes within walking distance, just right for me to go along and swipe a few little twigs to put in water.  Then the minute blossoms, perfect miniatures, develop, and a scent along with them. like this, about a quarter inch across, at least the variety I see.

Nature never seems to take a day off.  So much for everything closing down and sleeping through the winter. 

First daffodils, broken but rising above it

So the earliest daffodils came into bloom and were promptly knocked flat by wind yesterday, so I rescued them from the groundcover and installed them in the house.  I usually prefer to leave flowers in place, but they needed a rescue.  I did leave all the foliage, so as to feed next year's flowers.  The witch hazel in the same vase only appeared yesterday, so I picked a branch right away.

 Tiny doll, permanently installed on her crystal bench, is clearly happy to have company.  Her hair is silk roving, only the best around here..

Witch hazel is usually a January phenomenon here, and is often a great lift to pick and bring home, actual flowers in winter, complete with scent. This year who knows, they were probably encased in ice until this week.  But late or not, good to see them again.