Three years since my last post here. Since then we have had some bad winters with outdoor water pipes frozen, but not cracked. It is now the beginning of our summer and a good time to prepare for the next bad winter. Needless to say the first thing I am going to do is make sute that the pipes do not freeze again. I will be checking and insulating them in the coming weeks. Also it is necessary to check all bulbs and perennial plants that may have been damaged by the deep freeze. Many of my bulbs and tuburs were killed by the ice. The worst hit were the ones in pots arount the front of the house. They usually are quite unaffected by the cold weather but last winter was really cold, at least much colder than we are used to here. Also, just a reminder to put out food for the birds every winter. This pays off in the summer when the bitds help keep the pests like aphids and other bugs in their place. Until next time, happy gardening.