February

I’m indifferent about February. January offers the gift of new beginnings and, gradually, more light. I like that, even though January is my worse month of the year. I’m always glad when it is over; as I grow older, I can handle it more and more easily. this is good. Now we have February. Besides Valentines Day and the Fearrington Folk Art show, my other liking for her is that she will bring me March.

I’ve transplanted anything needing so; all the bulbs are in, Poppies are sown, and fresh garden bed edges dug. So now I am waiting. Yes, that’s it! I wait and perhaps rest up for March to begin the burst tree blooms she never fails to bring.

Enjoyed visiting with Dick Tyler of Pine Knot Hellebore Farm. It was good to see old friends. I also met Bryan Byers who was just recently named the new owner. Bryan was a student of Dick’s daughter, Helen Kraus. It turns out, Dick gifted the Farm to Bryan, who had been working there since graduating. Yes, Dick is that kind of kind person.

Bobby Ward with Dick Tyler at the Pine Knot Hellebore Farm.

With the warm weather, weeds have also arrived. Be on the lookout for those horrible weeds: lesser celandine:

Hellebore foliage was cut back to feature flowers. New edges were dug around the “soccer field;" this is a big job, but well worth it.

Within two weeks of the cold snap that flattened, and turned my acanthus to a melted mush, hope springs eternal!

The Back 40 (ft) North to South—It was overdue but glad I finally got around to recutting the bed edges. I toiled with adding Colmet steal edges, like I did in the River Bed, but decided against it. There really isn’t a need. I can keep up with these straight edges. Unlike the River Bed, with its curvilinear shape, I couldn’t keep pace with the Zoysia encroachment, or at least not with the shape.