EARLY SPRING

Calendula has popped up all over the garden.

This plant is either a dandelion or a hawkbit, and I am hoping 

that the hairy little buds are more poppies.

There were poppies near the house site last year, and I 

was so happy to discover this flower in one 

of the garden beds yesterday.

I think this is a pioneering plant we were gifted with. It 

is a spiny golden star and I plan on saving some seeds to 

make sure we have some next year. *UPDATE: I no 

longer will be planting these seeds. The plant has 

matured and lives up to its name. Those spines hurt!

It was nearly 90 degrees F yesterday, and Frankie Baby 

sought shelter in some young barley.

Kawtar raking gravel over the overflow trench.

While Frankie Baby was cooling off in the barley patch, Merman decided to check out the bamboo palace.

This 8 foot sunflower is boasting 17 flowers!

We are seeing ever-increasing numbers of critters in the garden. 

I think this is the caterpillar of the Sahara swallowtail butterfly.