Spring has sprung!

I went on a little road trip to Arizona this week - only four days - and while I was gone, all kinds of amazing things happened! Amazing how sudden it can be.

Our Manchurian apricot tree bloomed for the first time! Well, I guess last year it had maybe two little blossoms, but this year it's covered with these little beauties. It's not supposed to freeze at all this week, so maybe it will have time to set fruits before we get another cold snap.

 Daffodils are poking up...

And tulips...

And daylilies!

The lilacs are beginning to leaf out, and the golden currant is blooming. I hope we'll have a good show this spring, but I'm a bit worried because it's been such a dry winter. Things tend to die over the winter because I don't water them enough.

And the fava beans are in full bloom! Maybe this year we'll actually have a decent crop. I've never quite gotten it right before with the timing. We have such a short time when it's not too cold and not too hot. I planted these seeds in the fall - the plants grew about four inches high, and survived the entire winter. They are a black-seeded variety called Negreta from Territorial Seed, advertised as being early to mature and good for overwintering. They're supposed to have 10-inch long pods with 6-7 beans per pod! In the foreground are some Turkish Giant garlic and Gray Shallots which I also planted in fall; they sprouted and have been hanging out just like that all winter.