Oh snow!

On Saturday, I was noticing how many people have crocuses growing like wildflowers all over their front lawns, and wondered whether I should try the same thing. On my walk the same day, I saw a row of perfect -- too perfect -- daffodils lining a neighbour's front walk. Did she buy them in full bloom and plant them ready-made, avoiding the drudgery of digging in bulbs last fall?

On Sunday, all spring-like observations and questions were buried under a thick blanket of snow that melted and froze and sat like rocks on my hedges and trees. Our big chill is expected to last a week or so; I look forward to resuming my spring musings.

Now that we have bylaws that residential sidewalks must be cleared by 10 a.m., John knows what his first job is after breakfast.

Snow-capped birdfeeder in the back yard. The birds won't stick around if I get too close, so I can't show how many made use of it this snowy day. At times, the food cylinder in the centre was covered with birds.

The ice and snow melted off the suet container when the sun came out later in the day. Sometimes so many birds were perched on it that it turned into a feathered ball.

My shady garden is always late, but the earliest daphne bush near the bird bath had started to push out some blooms last week, and somewhere along the hedge buds were appearing on the daffodils. All progress toward spring will slow down for awhile now.