Train keeps a rollin'

The weather is cooperating and things in the house and yard are beginning to move along again...with a little help I was able to get in some gardening. I was gifted a large pot of Stella D'Oro day lillies. They had been in the pot undisturbed for many years and were quite impacted. I tried to divide these last fall, but they were so impacted I couldn't even separate them. Soooo, I took a knife and cut a chunk out of the side making a big clump for subdivision. Those I cut smaller and potted, gifting them to my daughters. Now, five months later I have come back to the pot for further subdivision. Magically, the tension was released in the pot once I removed the chunk I potted back in the fall. Yesterday it was all coming apart in a most desirable way, with little effort. I was getting hundreds of plants from this pot! I have lined the walkway with them,and I hope that they all survive and fill out to a rich yellow border. It could be beautiful!  I pray it comes to be.
              There was two more projects going yesterday, actually three now that I think of it. Each lead to the other. Several months ago Mr had to excavate soil from the crawlspace, pail by pail. He deposited them,understandably, right outside the crawlspace access leaving a large pile of soil and oyster shells. There was just as many shells as there was soil on that pile, making it difficult to move or flatten. The pile had to go. It was right next to the kitchen door and was looking pretty darn messy. Disposal of this pile required sifting the shells from the soil. The soil was used to create a small raised bed, the shells were used to put some paving on the driveway. Each was a project unto itself. At the same time the walkway, or I should say partial walkway needed to be extended. In hauling the sea shells to the driveway, the wheelbarrow passed the pile of bricks that needed to be moved to make the walkway. So, each trip with seashells for the driveway, brought a flip flop haul of bricks. Everything came together to make it look much neater outside the kitchen door.
         Opps, I now remember that there were actually two more projects that were completed yesterday. One wicked winter blizzard torn down two huge branches on our biggest trees. Those branches have been hanging off the trees for two months. Each was a project in itself. They both looked pretty untidy, but one of them was blocking the wind in a very handy way. We feared what the wind would be like with the branch gone, but it had to go....and yes it has opened us up to a lot of wind. There is nothing we can do about it but plan some sort of windbreak for the future. Both branches were removed and put on the pile to be disposed of at the recycling center. The walkway was extended another eight or ten feet and it is a big improvement, though another twelve feet or so need to yet be constructed, to reach the street.
       Today it was warm outside, in the 60s. We had over two inches of rain, the yard across the street was under at least a foot of water. I think that the rain will help the tulip bulbs, transplanted daffodils,  transplanted star of bethlehem, Stella D'Oro day lillies and transplanted crocus to enmesh themselves into the soil and landscape. Mother nature recognized my efforts and blessed my fledglings. All the rain today brought some birds I have not seen in a long time. I had goldfinches that were almost yellow today, preparing for their mating.  A carolina wren was feeding at the sunflower seeds, and a medium sized red headed woodpecker was on that same column feeder a bit later. Mr saw a pair of Cardinals, I saw a huge beautiful Blue Jay, Carolina Chickadees and a flock of about ten Goldfinches. Spring has definitely arrived and it is delightful. I've put out the hummingbird feeders hoping to lure some travelers to stay nearby. And when I was gardening yesterday I heard the plaintiff cry of an Osprey, and then I saw him soaring very high up in the blue sky. The first Osprey of the season on our cove. Just a joy.