Signs of Spring (and knitting)

Minnesota's winter is hanging on with sharp claws, but I think she's beginning to lose her grip.  Take a looksy at this.

That's my garden and until just recently it was covered in snow so deep that I was certain that this was evidence of another ice age.  Under this pile of mud are tiny asparagus babies, weeds and flowers - rubbing their eyes and about to stretch.  I have taken to sitting with a cup of coffee in my window and just staring at it.  Dirt.  Snowless dirt.  Frozen dirt, but still . . .  a gardener's Turkish Delight.

And another thing.  I am going to finish this damn sweater.  My lovely and talented bloggy friend Harpa just cast on for a man's sweater.  Knowing her, and I think I do just a tiny bit, she'll finish that man-sweater faster than green grass goes through a goose.  So I sort of sassed off and told her that I would be finishing my sweater before hers and now I think I need to start knitting.  Here it is thus far:

 The "Swamp Thing" socks are really more ball-of-yarn, than sock.  They'll remain neglected until the sweater is off the needles and blocked.

There are a few lame snowflakes in the air today.  I'm not going to fret.  There has been far too much whining and complaining on this blog lately.  Yesterday, I grabbed the camera and took the family (except for Lumpy who is down with flu or something) to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.  It's a hop, skip and a jump from my front door.

There were birds . . .

and would you believe - flowers?

Mr. Darling has also been busy boiling down sap from our maples to make our year supply of syrup.

The supply never makes it past the summer.  It's that good.  There are also friends and family that often leave our house with a jar for themselves.  Mmmmmmmaple syrup.  Thanks, Mr. D.