This week in the garden - #47

What a gorgeous day we had today! After a wet, cold, miserable start to this week, the last couple of days have been filled with sunshine and temperatures that finally climbed above 50 degrees F., making it a bit more pleasant to be outside. Well, actually, a LOT more pleasant to be outside.

Not that I'm complaining about the wet weather, you understand. The January rains have been a gift from the heavens, one that was badly needed. They have helped to restore our water table and the trees that have suffered so much throughout our drought have drunk long and deep.

We've also had some quite cold nights this week. I woke up Thursday morning to the heaviest frost we have yet had this season. As it happens, everything that could be affected by frost in my garden had already turned brown and mushy, so I don't think it did any additional damage.

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This was the week that I finally got off my butt and did some work in the garden. I started the cleanup by pulling out the frost-killed annuals and cutting back some frost-damaged limbs on a few plants, including my milkweed plants. One benefit of the frost has been that it has actually killed some weeds, and I was able to pull those from a few beds, although I've still got quite a lot to do in the weeding department.

Today, I also managed to make a start on moving plants that need to be moved. I got my white mist flower moved to a spot where it will have a bit more room and also will be more visible. I also moved an unknown plant that was near the mist flower. It's something in the aster family, I think, but I haven't quite figured it out yet.

If the wonderful weather holds through the weekend - and it looks like it might - I hope to get a lot more done over the next two days.

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As I took my breaks today, I watched the birds and butterflies (yes, there were a few) and took some pictures.

This male cardinal posed for me in the tangled limbs of the old crape myrtle tree.

A goldfinch in winter dress was enjoying the sun, perched high on a limb.

My overwintering Rufous Hummingbirds are always a favorite subject for my camera. This is a first year male who is turning more and more rufous as the days go by.

I caught this Red Admiral soaking up the sun from a spot on the latticework on the back porch.

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Spring is coming. Are you ready?