Happy Leap Day!

Although we've had some unusually mild days in the 50s, today is briskly winter again.
Happily the days are getting longer.  The sunrise this morning was so colorful... am posting
a photo.... and also one of daffodils popping up through the snow.  Hope this gives you as
much hope as it gives me.

Too early for spring, yet....

One mild day the first of February I was exploring along the back fence.  Although the forsythia shrub is a little rangy, nearly all the branches had stubby brown potential buds.  I decided I could use a challenge, cut a couple branches and brought them indoors to force.  I cut the stem ends off under warm water every other day for three days and soon there were hints of green.  In just two weeks I had the most beautiful yellow flowers and a week later the blossoms are continuing to hold on.   I brought a few small pots of geraniums indoors in October, snipped them back severely, and they, too, are giving me promise of warm days to come.