In Like A Lion, Out Like a March Hare

March came in like a lion and, during these last days of the month, looks to be going out nothing similar to a lamb but, for me here at Blooming Hill, more like a wild March Hare!  That old folklore saying of "in like a lion, out like a lamb," (or even vice-verse,) really holds no truth to it but it does, however, illustrate the ever-changing weather pattens of this first month of spring when the weather can start out icy-cold, turn into a gentle sunny day and end up a stormy night, complete with every kind of precipitation Mother Nature can throw at us.  Forget fall's frost on the pumpkin business...let's talk spring's snow on the violas!

So, where does the "wild March Hare" fit into all of this, you ask? Well, if you live here at Blooming Hill, the "wild March Hare" is actually something more like a couple of "mad hatters" working frantically at building the garden shop (we now have "wayside stand status" from The Loudoun County Department of Building and Zoning--YEA!),edging garden beds, painting projects, laying pea gravel and mulch, transplanting small seedlings and cuttings, which have now become large seedlings and cuttings, into larger pots and getting them ready for spring selling, putting the finishing touches on wreaths and other garden crafts and ringing my hands over when to get my own seeds and plants planted, given this stubborn cold weather around here.  Wait a minute!  I think I hear a violin playing a sad song, softly, somewhere in the background.

Anyway, it is exciting, not to mention a little bit crazy, if nothing else, around here. So, once again, our neighbor, Joe McKenna, came over to help a little and then stayed to help a lot, which was, let's say, a really big help.

Peter and I put the cupola up on the roof during the middle of the week one day after work and it's shiny, copper roof just glistened in the twilight shadows, adding a finishing touch to this building that still seems to have a long way to go.  It's a good thing Peter seems to be in his element and looking as if he is glowing as well.  Never seeming daunted by the task at hand, he has checked one more thing off of his garden shop "to-do" list. 

Meanwhile, I personally shoveled about 1000 pounds of pea gravel into lavander beds and stone paths just to freshen up the place.  The funny thing is that I didn't feel very fresh myself after that chore was completed. Actually, I did feel a certain sense of satisfaction having done this task all by myself. Of course, no one had time to take my picture so you will just have to take my word on this.

By Sunday evening, our new little garden shop was looking pretty darn good. Even the project manager, Tucker, seemed quite happy with the place and left his sniff of approval. It looks as though we are still on target for the April 30th opening which is a good thing for a couple of "wild March Hares" turned "mad hatters" (a.k.a Peter and me.) Appropriate names for us since our grand opening will feature an informal Creme Tea, that day--you can read about it in my sidebar--by Two Broads and A Brit Tea Service.  Maybe we'll even have an Alice or two stop by for tea as well, we'll see...  








So, here I am sitting in the side doorway of our shop with two walls completed and even a back door in place.  When I was young, my father and brother built a small A-Frame cottage up in Wisconsin and my mother had the uncanny talent of swooping in at the end of each leg of the project, grab a tool and stand front and center of the cottage in only the style and finesse my mother could create. She would then demand to have her picture taken as though she had done all of the work by herself...very tongue in cheek of course!   (Mirror, mirror on the wall, I am my mother after all!)   I think the violin music has stopped for the time being and I'm seeing a small light down the rabbit hole as well as a busy April ahead showering  lots building projects and gardening activities here at Blooming Hill in order to ready the shop for the end of the month opening.. Make sure to  by on April 30th!  We can't wait to greet you and show you our newest addition coming soon to Blooming Hill.