Punxsutawney Phil may not have seen his shadow yesterday, but any groundhog around these parts certainly would have. I guess it's lucky we don't have any groundhogs, then, isn't it?

What I did see during Saturday's warm and gorgeous weather was an Admiral butterfly. There's a Sulfur Yellow bopping around the yard today, and new buds on the oak tree, so maybe spring is on its way, after all.

As usual this early in the spring, my gardening efforts are focused on the pots around the back porch. I picked up two pots of shrimp plants and two of pineapple sage while visiting my mother over the holidays -- both are naturalized in her backyard. The sages still seem happy in their original pots, but the shrimp plants have both been transferred to terracotta. I had originally intended to plant them directly in the ground, but I think they're better off in pots for now.

It's still much too early to plant anything in the garden itself. I've been turning the soil in the front bed, and cutting back the bamboo, but we'll see at least one more freeze before spring truly takes hold, I think. If not, the wind in this area is awful in the spring -- I've seen it snap new little tomato plants right off at the soil. So, I'm contenting myself with turning soil and mulching, getting ready for the plantings to come. I also bought a little pink and yellow primrose from the grocery store and have it potted on my porch table, where it can be a cheery reminder that more is still to come.