It’s been raining pretty much straight for a week now.  Although we have lush, green surroundings, I’m wondering if it’s ever going to stop!

My “Rose of Sharon” bushes have grown by leaps and bounds with all of the rain.

My New Guinea Impatiens are enjoying the shade provided by the Rose of Sharons.

My Begonias have been absolutely crushed by the torrents of rain . . .

Green tomatoes are set and I’m hoping they won’t rot due to all the wetness.

Geraniums (never my favorite due to their “fragrance”) do provide a pretty pink contrast to all the green foliage around . . .

All in all, it’s great weather for ducks, but I could use some sun soon!

To see who else is strolling this Sunday, visit the Quiet Country House.

It’s still brisk and windy around these parts, but the sun is beginning to shine through today.  Not as warm as most of us would like spring to be yet!

Our Old English Sheepdog, Eddie, and our Golden Retriever, Duke, are always willing companions on a walk through the orchards and farm down to the river.  No matter the temp, they always jump in for a quick swim . . . and a huge drink!

On the way, we spied emerald ferns pushing through the leaves on the forest floor.

Springtime is also pruning time in the apple orchard.  Here, dwarf Red Delicious trees are getting ready to bear fruit, after a healthy pruning.

Purple flowers–probably weeds–dot the ground under the peach trees.

A pair of mallards swim in the pond.

Duke can’t resist a swim in the pond, too, which is greening up with algae and the banks around it show more green than gray, too.

Buds on the magnolia tree are swelling, giving hope for the pearly/pink flowers to come.

Tulips crop up, here and there.

After one final dip, Eddie and Duke drag themselves out of the river and up the bank for a run home!

As we’re still searching for color outside, I just couldn’t resist sharing these vibrant colors from a friend’s greenhouse earlier this week . . .

Piercing pink and purple hydrangeas, my all-time favorite . . . and. . .

darling, little petunias, planted in egg shells.  How cute is that?

To see who else is strolling for signs of spring, please visit the Quiet Country House.

A typical February vacation day (from school) yesterday included:

• an early (8:30 am)  morning dentist appointment (ugh!)
• a trip to DMV (ugh–wrong day to go right after a holiday!)
• visit to the Town Hall re: Motor Vehicle Taxes (a credit b/c we had been double-billed!)
• working on preparing Income Taxes (fun!)
• assorted paperwork for school, coursework, etc. (always fun!)

The high points of the day definitely included:

• lunch out with my daughter
• a visit to her high school, where she teaches Biology, Environmental Science, Botany, etc., to water the plants in the greenhouse (so they don’t die over school vacation)
•  a stop at my husband’s  current construction site to see the latest progress on an incredible project, (where he’s building million-plus-dollar homes for some very lucky people!)
• a stroll through our local nursery/garden center to chat with the owner/friend/neighbor and to enjoy a BREATH OF SPRING!!!

Here, I offer some beautiful shots from inside the greenhouse to ensure us all that spring IS on the way, although a mix of snow/rain/sleet is predicted here for later today . . .

I couldn’t resist bringing  home some pansies and organic parsley to brighten up the inside, until it’s warm enough to plant outside.

What are you doing as you await the arrival of SPRING in your parts?