4-24-03: This day, 1971, "First garden planting, then 31 degrees & snow; cont'd cold & wet thru May."
4-25-03: This day, 1973, "First sweet cherry blossoms."
4-26-03: This day, 1997, "Forsythia in full bloom, likewise today."
4-29-03: This day, 1970,"Plowed."[In this era plowing and harrowing were done, as the soil in some vegie plots were just beginning to become 'tamed.' Later, after removing tons of rocks, plantng green manue crops and adding tons of horse manure, these areas could be prepared with a 20 hp tractor with roto-tiller, beginning '85.]
4-30-03: This day, 1972, "First (vegie) garden planting." [At this time almost all gardening was in vegetables.]
5-01-03: This day, 1975, "Plowed;" 1977, "Apple blossoms, also first garden planting."
5-02-03: This day, 1998, "Apple blossoms."
5-03-03: This day, 1971, "Put in Spy and Cortland apple trees."[Both are now gone after yrs of poor product'n.]
5-05-03: This day, 1982, "Cherry blossoms."
5-07-03: This day, 1970, "Asparagus started up;" 1971, "Leaf buds began opening;" 1981, "New set vegie plants
lost to 29 degree freeze;" 1983, "cherry blossoms, also 'shadblow' in bloom;" 2001 &2002, "Apple blossoms,
lilacs just showing color."
5-08-03: This day, 1977, "Plowed;" 1985, "Planted potatoes;" 1993, 1999, 2000, "Apple blossoms."
Today, Magnolia soulangeana began opening blossoms.
5-09-03: This day, 1976, "Apple blossoms."
5-10-03: This day, 1970 and 1979, "Apple blossoms." Today, lilacs showing color.
5-14-03: This day, 1995, "First sign of apple blossoms; fully out on 16th."
5-15-03: This day, 1974 & 1988, "Apple blossoms;" 1986, roto-tilled with Bolens (tractor)- very, very dry.
Today, first apple blossoms; Japanese flowering quince and Phlox subulata in full bloom.
5-16-03: 1975, "Apple blossoms;" 1982, "Planted potatoes; very dry."
5-17-03: This day, 1980, "Apple blossoms."
5-20-03: This day, 1971, '72, '84 and '86, "Apple blossoms."
5-21-03: This day, 1983 and 1997, "Apple blossoms."
5-23-03: This day, 1978, "Apple blossoms." Today, old fashioned purple iris blooming.
5-25-03: This day, 1992, "Hard frost (est.30/31); grapes and 1 inch 'spuds' blackened; many lilies hurt badly."
5-28-03: Today, "lily of the valley" began blooming.
5-29-03: This day, 1998, "Viburnum trilobum ('Cranberry Bush') in glorious bloom; specimen measures
18' wide x 25' long x 10' high."[This is a native plant at the edge of the woods to the left rear of the house 150']
5-30-03: Today, "Mountain Bluet" (Centaurea montana)&small red Japanese tree peony began bloom'g
6-04-03: Today, "Lemon daylily" (Hemerocalis flava) and shrub rose 'Therese Bugnet' began blooming.
6-10-03: Today, tall, large yellow iris and pink oriental poppies began blooming.
6-11-03: Today, "cranberry bush" (see 5/29 above) began blooming. Also, unfortunately, found holihocks and liliums eaten by deer. The beginning of the end I am afraid. [Holihocks were spared!]
6-19-03: Today, Siberian iris, blue Tradescantia virginiana, and shrub rose 'Harrison's Yellow' bloomg.
6-21-03: Today, shrub roses R. rugosa and cultivar 'Magnifica', plus R. 'Red Grootendorst' blooming. Also, liliums 'Dalhansonii' and 'Paisley Hybrid', both of which are Martagon hybrids.
6-23-03: Today, flesh colored herbaceous peony (Ketzes'), Chrysanthemum parthenium ("Feverfew")
and Geranium grandiflorum or pyrenean (blue "Cranesbill") blooming.
6-24-03: Today, purple/blue Campanula glomerata, and an Alba type rose blooming.