Going out a little each day if the weather is nice at all; and doing a bit of yard cleaning up makes it so much easier; I've had violets and helebores in bloom already; roses were pruned and they have new growth showing me that though snow covered everything recently spring is coming!

 Daffodills and tulips are sprouting up slowly but they are gradually getting larger; so are the calla lilies'; in fact, if we don't get rain shortly I will be back there watering them!

Most of my pots were cleaned up; and the plants groomed; most all of them are sprouting new growth! Painting pots with yellow and tangerine/pumpkin spray made winter months so incredibly cheerful! wonderful to see when overcast or raining out! (have one out my front window where I can see it!  My neighbor enjoys my yard so much she takes pictures of the pots even when covered with snow!

Doing a little daily if possible; or a little in the AM; then going back out instead of overdoing it all at one time, just makes it look so much tidier when I go out; still have leaves left to rake though not to many; but it is getting to look so good for me to go out and enjoy a cup of coffee at the patio table even though  I have to be well bundled up!

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My friend Liz is an avid gardener; she and her husband have had huge gardens and still have them going. I found 2 of the Harry Potter books she has been wanting for her grandkids so took them by today for her. She gave me lots of regular and lemon basil. Told me to strip the leaves and dehydrate it, then crumble the leaves and put in a jar.

She showed me her dehydrated tomatoes, squash which was OUTSTANDING in flavor; FAR superior to any potato chip! green onions as well as a white onion. She then simply keeps them in jars and they look very interesting on her counter!

She also gave me an inside needle ivy, which I passed on to my neighbor, and an aster! I am heading out to get my dehydrator and using it on the basil. I have never even heard of lemon basil before! How exciting to get and try new things! I would NEVER have thought of dehydrating a squash: nor that it would literally taste superior to potato chips!

www.motherearthnews.com has lots of do it yourself items to make for far less money than you would think! Am going to check there for possible do it yourself screens to make where can just dry in the sun next summer! My sister told me she had been given some raisins made out of grapes from a friend who had simply dried them on screen in the sun and it was far superior than any she had ever tasted from a store!

I am telling you folks: you cannot go wrong with having gardeners in your life as friends!

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Just planted some lettuce and onions today! looking forward to enjoying salads FRESH from the garden (living in a mobile home park,  I plant in fruit bins I got for $1; and painted green; used organic soil from aunts compost pile of 20 years! EVERYTHING loves to florish in them!

Cut my bamboo into 2 parts, and now have 2 bamboo's in matching pots! love the willowy effect of it!

Went to the $ store today with neighbor; then to the Good Will As is store; got 4 beautiful Starbucks coffee cups for 25 cents each; a THISTLE SOCK for my finches! looks NEW! and 2 tops costing 80 cents for both tops!

Stopping at yard sales on way home, picked up a beautifully painted drop bottle that I washed thoughtly and am going to use for olive oil; and an antique small lamp with elephants on it with an old time lamp shade both for $1.00!!! Picked up a good book for 5 cents; AND the BEST of the best: I got 25 stepping stones for garden paths for $5.00!!!! and they are HUGE nice super thick ones! YES! my garden loves LOVELY and I can now enjoy it even when the rains come!

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Now is the time of year we can easily divide plants; same as in the spring! either way, by joining a garden site such as yahoo groups local gardening group where you can post things you have to offer and ask for the things you would love to have some of!

   Gardeners are the NICEST folks! now, I never COULD grow "inside" plants very well; however, the OUTSIDE is a whole different story!  Just in from watering, I noticed I have another beautiful apricot colored David Austin English rose coming on; it is SO breathtakingly beautiful: EVERYONE on the PLANET should have one!  Roses do NOT have to be high maitenance at all; just the hybred teas are: the floribunda's and the English roses which are HUGE cabbage shaped ones: are incredibly EASY to maintain: and the REWARDS are fantastic!

   NOTHING tastes as GOOD as something from your own garden; unless it's gotten locally from out of someone ELSES garden! Snipping herbs to put into your own cooking is beyond flavor; you WONDER how the FLAVOR ever gets OUT of so much stuff in grocery stores!

   Well, off to divide oriental poppies, lavenders, and other things: then will travel to meet with folks who will love them as well! This REALLY helps EVERYONE so incredibly MUCH: you SAVE on $; you get things YOU want for your own garden for FREE; and joy is had by all!

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