Iowa weather...

I visit many garden blogs and it is depressing to live in Iowa when I make comparisons. Every year about this time I think that I am not going to mess with any garden, there is nothing out there. It is the time when the weather flirts with us giving us a couple of warm days then it is yanked away for four more weeks. The blog gardens that I see are from England or out west or out east. Some people in the central part of the United States must have protected areas where they have planted bulbs and they are up and doing well. I fortunately have two lots so I have a lot of land, but there aren't many protected areas because of that. In fact I don't take off leaves for a long time as a freezing rain could take out a lot of young sprouts.
My late parents place is in Osceola, which is south of here an hour or so. The plants are way ahead of ours. In about four weeks I will see things shape up a little and then get enthusiastic when all those iris and day lilies and peonies will come up and remind me that I do have a garden out there. We don't have flooding, we don't have snow on the ground, so I need to quit whining, sorry, but it is cold enough to spit a little snow.
I do want to get my apple trees sprayed this year early instead of late. More spraying will give me many more good apples.
The geraniums are in my east window and leftover from a planting for my father in law last, late summer, for his room. They are doing so well that I have taken a number of slips from them.
The daffodils are starting to come up among that bleak, gray flower bed. The stems are from a very old tradition rose bush that was here when I bought the place. It spreads well and really can be cut down each fall. It is a very pink with a nice scent. Tomorrow you get to see my new purchase and the shape of my tomato seedlings. Thanks for reading......