Today is Imbolc/Candlemas/Brigid’s Day/ Groundhog’s Day.   All of these holidays have something to do with looking for signs of spring or returning to the garden again to prepare for the coming spring.  This is the day mid-way between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox, and we can see signs of spring everywhere if we look.

Today I found daffodils coming up:

And I saw garlic coming up:

Hello, Rhubarb!  She made it through her first winter here!

And here is one of the generous kale plants that has been feeding us for more than a year — still producing delicious, tender leaves:

And here is the lady-in-charge among the hens.  It took me awhile to realize that this quiet, sweet, watchful one was really the big boss because the others were so noisy in their petty squabbles.  This one rules the roost, and she is just done molting.

Some robins are eating the crabapples still left on the Evereste tree out front.  Can you see three?

And then this sweet beet broke my heart…  look at her!  She survived the winter and is hanging on proudly to the dirt while she sends up glorious new leaves to welcome in the sun.  My gosh, how do we survive the winter sometimes?!  But we do.

Blessings to you as we head toward spring!