Hoping for Lilacs

Spring is springing up ALL over, Dear Readers, or at least it's trying to here in the East... Young American Robins are hopping about and House Finches are chittering about. Nest building is in full swing. Crows chase away Red-tailed Hawks and American Goldfinches sit on the highest branches watching it all and whistling their strange song. The Northern Cardinals never left and nor did my hoping for lilacs.

You see, Dear Readers, each year, I hope for lilacs because each year, save for one, lilac buds appear only to be burned to death by a perseverant late frost. This year is, unfortunately, no different. This week in Pennsylvania, thermometers will read near 80 degrees as highs yet the lows will still bottom out in the 20's and 30's. Our poor lilac shrub is trying it's best to offer us it's sassy lavender blooms and heady fragrance to brighten and cheer us (and our flying friends) but Mother Nature is in one of her moods... What to do? What to do? Cover it of course, or at least try!

This year, in a feeble and sad attempt to protect our beautiful lilac shrub from getting burned to death, my husband, Russell, covered as much of the little beauty as possible with whatever we could to protect as much of the shrub as possible from Mother nature's mood swing(s).  If the buds can make it to the weekend, I think it (and we) will be good. Having just returned from England and Wales where, despite the frosty mornings and pelting rain, the countryside in both places was wild with the joyful colors of Spring! Grass so green it hurt your eyes, blooms so vivid they made you long to garden and trees with leaves beginning to burst forth from every inch of a branch! Ahhhhh... Spring... Please cross your fingers for our lilac and share what special plant you are hoping will bloom soon in the comments section.

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