What Month is This, Anyway?

Only a few short weeks ago, Glen and I were betting on which daffodil would be the first to bloom. 

Every year we plant a minimum of three hundred daffodils, a hundred tulips and multiple muscari. Fourteen years of planting, dividing and naturalizing have given us a sea of spring blossoms.

I love February, our month for our first taste of spring weather; honey bees return along with daffodils and English heather and rosy camellias . Yellow was just peeking through so many of the daffodils, and I knew that soon I'd be able to pick the first daffodil of the season, when...

The first snow storm hit.

Then the second snow storm. And, then a third, until the daffodils were covered in a foot of snow. It all ended in a sheet of ice and 50mph gusts of north wind. Next day, the wind shifted to our Pacific Ocean breeze and in came the Pineapple Express; rain and wind straight off our Pacific Ocean. 

Only a few short days and bright green replaced snow white.

I'm amazed at the beating those daffodils took, yet they perked their heads up and stood up as straight as soldiers that had won a battle. A few days ago we picked the first daffodil. I'm excited that this starts a long season of blooming plants clear through Thanksgiving. 

Meanwhile, I am painting snowmen and Christmas scenes for two licenses and summer seaside for another! Oh, and I mustn't forget the warm Mediterranean art that I just finished for an elegant set of dishes to be out in the market at the end of the year!

I really must finish the 2015 calendar, too. I'm almost done...just October pumpkins left to put finishing touches on.

So, what month is this? My head is spinning.

HOORAY...'tis M-A-R-C-H!