A Week of Almost Spring

Nashville enjoyed beautiful weather this week and I made the most of it. I spent most of last Saturday outside in gardens, other people’s gardens.

Each year the Nashville Rose Society (NRS) has two pruning clinics. Last Saturday was the first. It was my first pruning clinic and I learned so much from the Consulting Rosarians (CRs).

Pruning clinic is a win-win. Saturday’s was held at the home of a widow. Her husband was a well known local CR who mentored many. He died before I joined the NRS and his wife is unable to care for the many roses he left behind. The pruning clinic provides the newbies an opportunity to learn, the seasoned rosarians a chance to mentor others in his memory, and his widow has all of her roses pruned in just two hours’ time. I suppose that makes it a triple win.

About 20 Nashville Rose Society members gathered for the pruning clinic. This is just one of the homeowner’s rose beds.

After the clinic I headed over to mom’s. Her flower beds were in dire need of weeding. It took four hours to complete the task but I received the best payment ever for my efforts. Check it out.

Best reward ever.

While I’ve not yet had time to weed my flowerbeds , prune my roses and plant spring crops like lettuce and spinach, I have been watching my yard come back to life. Hubs called to my attention two woodpeckers I haven’t seen in a while. They come around a lot in the summer because they love the hummingbird nectar we have on hand.

This is a poor quality photo shot through a window, but if you look closely you’ll see our woodpecker friends, plus a cardinal in the lower right corner. The unpruned roses are in the background.

Last night was hubs’ and my first run with the South Side Runners since daylight savings time began. The temperature was perfect and as everyone gathered, we were so happy not to be wearing long tights, long sleeve shirts and jackets, headlamps and reflective gear. We had our post run meal outside and all was right with the world.

I know the mild temperatures will come and go for a while. I don’t know how it is where you live, but in Tennessee we have little winters. In fact, last year in May during the annual Urban Gardening Festival, it was so cold we were wearing heavy jackets. This weekend we’re supposed to have showers off and on, so perhaps I can weed between raindrops.

I’m so grateful for the weather this week and the chance it brought me to get out there and bask in it. How are the temperatures in your neck of the woods?