early birds

I've seen four eastern bluebirds cross the yard- bright splashes of color when they fly. A wren is flitting about frequently, so cheerful. Few days ago this small woodpecker inspected some old carpenter bee holes in the deck baluster. Photo I got is a bit blurry because taken through the kitchen window screen. I'm pretty sure it's a downy woodpecker.

dried tarragon

 The only thing to eat from outside right now in bitter cold (we're having nights down in the teens) is an occasional picking of winter savory, green onions when it thaws out for a few days, and once every other week, tokyo bekana from the greenhouse. It really doesn't keep anything warm enough. Success was low. While I feel better that there's not plastic sheeting bits potentially shredding across the yard, the mini greenhouse doesn't gather any warmth from the ground. My chervil never got beyond seedling stage, the dill and lettuces are just barely alive. I have a few tatsoi but the only one that is doing well, got the earliest start. Really the only plants in there worth tending and picking from time to time are the tokyo bekana now. 

But I have my favorite herb all dried and stuffed in jars. I was always so stingy with tarragon in the past, having one plant that did poorly. Last year's new variety thrived so, I was able to pick and dry tons. It feels a bit extravagent to be able to have eggs with cheddar and tarragon whenever I want, or add it to chicken soups and pies.

My bay leaf plant is also doing great, and the rosemary down in the basement window. Maybe I will get a photo of that to add here soon. The bay leaves look so healthy.

winter savory

white bits

Tiny jar of flowers on my windowsill- cut from the lemon scented geranium.

ruffled petals

Usually when my african violets fade, the blooms just dry up and eventually I pull them off by the stems. But this one flower of 'vintage lace' fell off completely, a pretty little surprise sitting on the shelf. I took pictures of it back and front (on a fragment of anthracite fern fossil).