Wildlife and Wild Weather

Spring in Our Wild West Garden

What's happened so far this April in our garden?  Think Wild.  We woke up and there was a new friendly foal across the street, only hours old, and shivering in the frosty temperatures.  Such an adorable little thing!

Speaking of frosty- the weather keeps doing it's wild thing- some beautifully warm days perfect for seed germination, and then comes a harsh snap of frost just in time to bite our seedlings.  I went out to take some photos of the frost before it was time for us to leave on our Spring Break vacation.

Chard got bit a touch.

 The volunteer garlic from last year did too, but it didn't really mind it.

 Spinach leaves were sprinkled with frost.

Our little rows of watermelon radish and champion radishes look cold.

The peas are pushing through the frost.

The beets.

 The chard.

 The wood was glistening in the sun from the frost.

 The frost painted the strawberry leaves.

After checking on the garden, I decided to check out the cute foal across the street.  He (or she?) was shivering, his hair still matted from his undoubtedly wet arrival into this world.

The birds were singing to him.

 His mother was keeping nearby.  Her little foal kept following around the other brown horse, and that horse must've been annoyed because he kept kicking the little newbie.  Is that normal?  I thought it was sad.

Then, we left on Spring Break, hoping the best for our frosted garden and this teeny foal.

We got back a few days ago, and all those little sprouts were gone.  All except the garlic and peas.  I thought the frost probably damaged them and then the sun probably crisped them when they weren't watered frequently enough (we were supposed to have rain, which never came.  Instead we got heavy wind and a pummeling of hail), and then the gale-force winds probably sandblasted them into oblivion.  But, since I was gone, there's no telling what exactly happened.  

Then, this morning, flurries began to fly.  Bye bye my one bud of sunshine.  The daffodil in the front flowerbed dropped her petals and stooped her head.

 I went to check on the garden, and look what I found.  Within the walls of our fence, Jack Rabbit had somehow found his way inside.  He dashed around, avoiding me and looking for a way out.

 And he eventually pushed his way under the gate and was free.  My garden bed got some good moisture.  I'm happy for that.  It's afternoon now, and the snow has all melted.  I wonder if I should plant more seeds or if there are still some under all that snow that will eventually germinate. 

 Just beyond the garden bed, I found a rabbit hole- dug right into my strawberry patch.  Good thing.  That patch needed some major thinning.

So, do you think my seedlings were eaten by Jack Rabbit or did the weather decimate them?  What shall we blame?

I planted peas on St. Patrick's day so that I could have good luck in my garden.  I'm still counting on that good luck to carry through and my garden to make a strong come back.  Look at those peas.  They are already brushing off the snow!

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