It's winter again!

 So cold, so snowy.  Well, it is February and this is what we should expect.  We'd been lulled into a spring mindset with a week of above average temperatures and now we're back to reality.

I've sown my peppers; NuMex Lemon Spice jalapeño, habanero, and Hungarian Hot Wax.  In another tray I've sown impatiens and eryngium (sea holly).  From my second sowing of my own collected seeds, the only ones that germinated were a couple more Gerber daisies, and a few more prairie coneflowers.  BUT...I'm up to five Virgin's Bower seedlings, which is amazing.

 I'm also dealing with an infestation of white flies, which is incredibly frustrating.  I'm hitting them daily with soapy water, but it's not working to full effect.  I think next year I won't bring any herbs back into the house for the winter.  It's either fungus gnats or white flies or improper conditions, so time to give up on those.

I did take advantage of the snow cover to clean up some pine boughs from the mule track and burn them.  I hate burning brush more than anything, but I'll admit it feels good to know that chore is done and I won't need to do a major cleanup when spring gets here.

I finished my needle felted rabbit, too.  My specialty needles and whisker material finally arrived from the UK, just in time. 

For my first project, I'm very happy with how everything turned out.  I'm now working on an Easter garland. 

The birds are really coming into the feeders en masse lately.  The cardinals are getting really bold, showing during daylight hours as well as dusk and dawn. 

And one of the male goldfinch has decided he's had enough of his drab winter garb and put his spring finery on for the ladies to admire.

I know them feels, little guy.  I wish spring would hurry up and get here, too.