Yesterday was sunny and cold, and starkly beautiful - just green grass, blue sky, gray trees. Today it is overcast and the buds are opening - the white plums and almonds first, the crabapples and Ian's peach are in a race - the crabs have mouse-ear leaves out but no flowers; the peach has cracked open its pink buds but no leaves. Hoping they both open when the bees are warm and busy.

We are thinking of getting a hive. Evan who builds beautiful stone walls and gardens also builds old-fashioned hives. I have no idea what that means, but maybe if we build it they will come...we had bees swarming in our garden late last summer. Perhaps this year they will stay. I hope. An empty bee house would be too sad.