Last week of March we swept the snow off our deck and we've been enjoying outside, now and then, even though the yard was still snow-covered.

On Sunday, I saw the first shoots of the season - our false spirea on the northeast corner of the house stuck its dark red shoots up. Yesterday spotted my first tulips coming up too. Today pulled the straw and leaf mulch up off the gardens but still hemming and hawing about whether to expose the new garlic patch too. Guidance I've read recommends leaving mulch there to conserve moisture. We'll see.

Front yard is mostly melted except a small berm left from the city snowthrower and under the wood pile. Really variable how long that snow berm lasts - this year, it's almost melted already, but last year we had to spend hours digging it out. Alaska is probably one of the only places you will see people using their snowblowers to clear their lawns!

Back yard still has large snow patches (underlain with thick ice), but the big spring puddle in the south corner has dried out already. The east vegetable garden is snow covered too but the south garden is melted out.

Exciting day, working with the boy in the yard!

Next up - dog poop and all the downed tree limbs. Amazing how a 6 foot branch can just appear out of nowhere.