The lyf so short

... and we actually had a drought this March. Not that anyone noticed because it was so effing cold, but apparently our region got only 50% of the rainfall it normally gets in March? Well, 50% of rainfall in the shape of snow, but whatever. Only half our normal ration of water-from-the-sky-in-whatever-form.

Anyway, now that April with its sweet showers has pierced the drought of March to the root, etc. etc., there's so much to do in the garden (and didn't I mean to blog more about my gardening?) that you have no time to talk about it.

Short version is short:
- turned the compost (well, 2/3 of it so far)
- fought the everlasting battle against the brambles
- pruned our hazel bushes. I know you're supposed to do that sooner! But I wanted my bees to be able to use the hazel flower, since nothing else was properly in bloom yet. Now the hazel is through and the willows start blooming, I could cut back the hazels. As a result, they bled quite a bit (>_>) but I'm sure they're gonna survive.
- started fixing the flower/veggie beds in the garden - the ground is sloping so everything keeps slipping slightly downwards across time. Now I'm trying to fix it all in sort of terraces so the slope is no longer an issue. TAKES AGES.
- prepared the first veggie beds (removing mulch, weeding, etc.)
Now I have to wait for my starter cultures to grow strong enough, and for the arrival of the potatoes (white, purple and red) that I ordered. And prepare the remaining beds, sow stuff, transplant stuff, weed weed weed, mow the lawn, continue working on the terraces, stock up the bee-hive...
It's a good thing that motivation levels are high after such a long winter. I hope they last a while.

Felix absolutely loves the outdoors and mostly doesn't want to return inside ever again. He plays with stones, sticks, waterbuckets, balances on walls (with help), climbs up stairs (with help), and occasionally drags us on long walks through the forest. He generally does most of the walking himself. You can accuse him of being stubborn, but certainly not of being lazy.

We've discovered a new phase in human development, however. I call it the "house-elfin phase": Felix raises a fuss whenever you try to dress him (even when it is NOT warm), is obsessed with socks, and when something doesn't go as he wants, he hits his head against the floor or against convenient pieces of furniture. I know I should not be laughing, but I'm sorry, it really, really reminds me of Dobby the house-elf!

I am done with almost all the Easter preparations, aside from the gifts for relations & neighbours.
You really kind of have to remind yourself that it's Easter you're preparing for - not Christmas. (Actually, we had no snow and +9°C around Christmas...)


So I dyed some eggs (and some wool while I was at it) with plants. The green (and very light green) is hollyhock blossoms (collected them all summer long last year!); it was supposed to be blue, but when the infusion gets too hot, it turns to green. Obviously, it got too hot. The nice copper is good old onion peels, and the sickly lilac (egg)/interesting fire-colours (wool) is beetroot. Last year, I got a nice pink with beetroot. Am disappointed this year!

( Moar pics under the cut. Click on pic will lead to larger version, as per usual. )

And this concludes this picspam. Must try to get gifts finished now.