In my last post I mentioned that I had briefly experienced snow.  Well, this morning I looked out on my back garden and found this:

It’s the latest snow I remember in all my years of living here (more than 25 years), and the local forecasters are predicting more tonight!

I will be heading to California in a few days, and I think I will be shocked at the difference in temperature. I don’t think we have gotten over 60 degrees F here, and where I am going could reach into the 80s!

Still, I think I will enjoy myself.

I have been working quite diligently on whipping the back garden into shape.  So the last few days I have been out digging around whenever there has been a stray bit of sun.  We’ve had days where it’s poured rain all day until just about time for me to go to bed–then the sun comes out!

Today, though, was odd.  I went out, starting digging.  Suddenly, I noticed white things floating down from the sky.  Could it be petals falling from the plum tree?  No…was a neighbour burning something that was generating ash?  No…

 It was SNOW!

Five minutes later it was completely gone.  If I had not been outside at the time, I would have never known it had happened.

Some current photos of my progress.

A volunteer fruiting Cherry. I’ve never tasted the fruit, but the birds like it.

I’ve managed to uncover my beautiful volunteer cyclamen, and disposed of assorted evil blackberry vines and a volunteer holly (hollies are not native here in the US, and displace native trees and shrubs).

More work tomorrow…

I spotted the first bee of this year today!  She was resting in the sun, on my front door.

This was in the brief period we’ve had the past week where it has not been pouring rain! I’ve been making do with working on cleaning up my bicycles for the spring, and trying to get out and mow grass whenever it’s been dry for more than a few minutes.

I’ve been busily working on the garden at the back of the house still.  It’s looking considerably better than when I started, too!

Nevertheless, I’ve had to get in some riding.  It poured rain today, so no getting out (although I still went out in the rain and did some gardening–mad, eh?), but I did get in some nice rides the past few days.

I also found out today that I am to be a product tester for a new Brooks saddle!  That may not mean a lot to some of you, but it is big news in the cycling community.  I am thrilled and excited to be a part of the testing.

The new saddle, to be called the Imperial, differs from the standard saddles made by Brooks in that it has a ‘cut out’.  Cut outs are one way of avoiding that ‘numbness’ which happens for many cyclists.  I have wanted to have a Brooks on several of my bikes for a long time, but I much prefer saddles with a cut out.  So, here’s my chance!  Brooks saddles are made in England, by the way.

http://www.brooksengland.com/shop/

The new saddle is not in the catalogue yet…

I’ve decided that this year I am going to get the back garden whipped into better shape i.e., it would be nice to see it looking more like a garden, and less like a neglected child!

The view from above. There’s some very nice rock dry walls there, which have been neglected shamefully. A number of years ago I hurt my back to the point where gardening was no longer a pleasure, and I did the bare minimum in keeping up the garden. My back is better to the point where I can start working on the gardening again.

So, I have started cleaning up all the winter debris. I am hoping that by this time next week, the garden should show a vast improvement.

In the meantime, here are some closeup shots of the crabapple in the garden:

Even though it’s not flowering, I love the leaves on cyclamen:

I’ve discovered that some wild creature has been using my woodpile as a loo. I’m not certain what it is, although I suspect it is an opossum. I shall keep an eye out and see if I can’t get a photo of my night visitor.

So far this week has been superb!  I rode many miles on Monday, about 25 miles Tuesday, and have big plans for Wednesday.

Monday’s ride was out to Gene Coulon Park and back.  This particular park is located on Lake Washington, and occasionally some interesting birds can be seen.  There used to be purple martins nesting there, although none were seen there last year.  Sadly, I did not see anything out there (which was actually rather unusual).

Tuesday I went down into the Kent Valley.  I got to see some Common Mergansers–Goosanders to those of you in the UK–swimming along the Green River.  I also am finally seeing large patches of crocus blooming, and finally!  A full array of daffodils out there.  Now, I need to see if I can see some Skunk Cabbage.

Wednesday I get to visit the dentist.  But after that, I am hoping for a nice long ride, and perhaps some photos.  It’s been gorgeous clear weather here!

Finally I am seeing some spring flowers!  I spotted a hyacinth struggling to open up a couple of bells today, along with what is now a whole host of crocus around the neighbourhood.

 I have not really seen much evidence of birds pairing up, however.  I should be hearing Northern Flickers drumming soon, but not yet.  Still hearing the frog chorus on my walks and rides.