Finally Spring... though it doesn't feel warm enough

We did the first bit of spring pruning and planting last week. Very exciting for me as we're starting to plan the garden, think about the yard and get ready for our summer of plenty. We started by trimming the climbing hydranga from the top of the house and off of the windows. Hopefully the flock of birds will not come back.

While he was up on the ladder doing this (I don't know why he doesn't want me on the 16 foot ladder...) I was planting French breakfast radishes. I had never eaten these radishes until living in France. I like them much better than their hotter round counterparts here in the U.S. Eaten with a bit of butter and salt and some of my sweetheart's homemade bread, delicious.

Last year the patch of ground that I put the radishes in sat fallow until I planted the tomatoes so Radishes have to be planted in early spring in Maryland as otherwise they just go to seed. I thought this would be a good use of the space next to the sorrel that is starting to come back. So I put them in last Wednesday and every day I keep hoping to see little sprouts, but it was 29 this morning and I think those little sprouts have decided it is much much too cold to make an appearance. Hopefully we'll have radishes by Pam's birthday though so I can put the tomatoes in the week after. Obviously the radishes above are not mine, but they certainly look like the ones on the package.

I have also started the plan for ripping out ivy. I spent a good hour Sunday morning ripping. Filled up a garbage can full and there's more to go. I'm hoping to rip out most of the ivy in the yard. Mandi, if you want to help, let me know. ;-)