Blackberry winter

Finally we have started to get some spring days here in Nashville. The flowers at the nearby Home Depot are fresh from the greenhouse and inspire me to plant. I have to buy them early and keep them protected from late frosts. Here in the south, we have late frosts that we name locust winter, blackberry winter, dogwood winter. They coincide with the blooming of each. I love this time of year as the natural world renews itself and brings us into the growing season. We had planted our onions, garlic, cabbage, brussel sprouts, and broccoli earlier and they are doing well. Soon we will plant our green beans, cucumbers and tomatoes. I will also plant Cherokee tears for natural beads. They are in the corn family and are an heirloom plant that has been used for food in some instances. I love growing them. They send out stems with the beads on them which remind me of a line of pearls.
Our chicks are doing well and I have enjoyed watching them grow and thrive. I have four Buff Orpingtons, three Barred Rocks, and three Rhode Island Reds. They are eight weeks old now and they eat voraciously. There is one little Buff that has taken to me. She is the most tame of them all and I just love it! I love all of our pets young and old and look forward to watching them all interact.
Happy Ostera to all.