Indigo Bunting

Didn't get as much done as I planned but at least have a good start on spring activities.  The weather has swung back to warm and there isn't any below freezing temps forecast for at least the next 10 days.  Finished planting everything but my wellie boots.  I may look around for other shoes (or something) to plant w/ impatiens this year.  

The lilacs had been setting on buds during this week's freezes.  The buds were so small I wasn't sure if they had frozen and would crumble if touched.   With the rain last night and sunshine today the buds are exploding in size so there will be sweet smelling flower clusters soon.   I grabbed my "Keep Off.  Pesticides Applied" signs and pounded them in on either side of the original lilacs out by the road.  Last year they worked well - hopefully they will have the same effect this year.

Noticed some yellow rocket coming up at the edge of my lawn.  The gravel that was put down when Mjolnir was built was full of yellow rocket seed and there have been a few plants that have popped up ever since.  If it's blooming by my driveway, I assumed it would also be blooming in the far hay field.  Every year I go out and pull the stuff out.  Whip and I jumped in Jormungandr and went out to see.   I slowly drove the perimeter of that field but only found a few stalks on the NW section.  Pulled those and threw them in the truck bed.  Either my vigilant picking every year has practically eradicated the stuff or it's still a little early in it's blooming cycle.  Probably the latter.  Whip and I will need to check back there periodically for the rest of the spring.  Tonight's tick check count was six.