My Yard Wakes Up - Spring 2011

Come take a walk with me around my yard.  It's breathing a huge sigh of relief as the warm sun hits the bare ground for the first time in a while.  I love the new beginnings.

The Dandelion proudly wins the race to be the first flower to bloom!

  

This pesky flower that so many think of as a weed is really God's medicine cabinet giving us:  a rich source of vitamins A, B complex, C, and D, as well as minerals such as iron, potassium, and zinc.  Traditionally it's been used for many ailments:   kidney disease, swelling, skin problems, heartburn, and stomach upset, digestive disorders, appendicitis, and breast problems, fever, boils, eye problems, diabetes, and diarrhea.  Today, dandelion roots are mainly used as an appetite stimulant, digestive aid, and for liver and gallbladder function. Dandelion leaves are used as a diuretic to stimulate the excretion of urine.

Our yard is very wet because of poor landscaping but it really gives a variety of mosses which I find so pretty.

New needles and pine cones are appearing on the Spruce Trees

Beautiful lichen on the dead trees.  

Our yard obviously needs a lot of work, but there is so much beauty in the meantime!

The Alberta Wild Rose bushes are growing new shoots. 

I can't wait for the lovely smell of those delicate roses.