March...in like a lion, out like a lion

I had to save these cute little guys from my yard yesterday. I think someone is confused. Apparently they've forgotten that March is supposed to come in like a lion and go out like a LAMB. I don't think that freezing rain and then snow all day on March 28th constitute lamb weather.

I knew bad weather was coming all week, so researched for hours on Friday, trying to decide what to do about my flower garden. I really had the beginnings of an amazingly beautiful spring bulb garden in my backyard. I was devastated to think what could happen to my pretty little daffodils, tulips and irises up against Mother Nature in a bad mood.

I debated whether I should cover them, cut them, or leave them. I would have tried to give them some shelter with blankets, but it wouldn't have been much protection from freezing rain. Finally, I decided to leave them. Daffodils are very hardy and used to cold weather and my tulips and irises only had foliage and no bud beginnings, so according to the internet, they should be ok.

However, when push came to shove on Saturday, I just couldn't leave them out there alone to suffer in the cold, ice, and snow.So I tramped out in the rain and snipped them all. I brought them back inside and chipped all the ice off the petals and tried to make them a happy little home on my dining room table. I don't know if they're as happy inside, but they are cheering up the place.

Today, I didn't even go outside to inspect the damage. Even though, it's nice to have a bit of Spring inside, I am sad to think my little daffodils aren't living outside anymore. I do hope that my hard work last fall won't go to waste. I am praying that my tulips and irises survive to bloom this year. I am thankful that we didn't loose any trees to the ice/snow. I am sure that I'll see more than one split Bradford Pear on my way to work tomorrow. Those poor trees had such a slim chance, they were in full bloom yesterday when they were pelted with ice and snow for 12 or so hours.

So, I think the lesson that I learned yesterday was another one along the lines of having to roll with punches. My garden isn't going to look like what I imagined that it would last fall when I planted all the bulbs, but with God's grace, I'll still have a pretty spring bulb garden. And, now I have the added bonus of a big, free bouquet of flowers to cheer me up!