Moving the Magnolia

March 23, and this Japanese Magnolia in our front entry garden has grown too large for its "britches." It not only blocked the view to our front porch and hid the brickwork on our house, but it also sheltered a tangle of grasses and old flowers that always get out of hand by the end of summer.

We really like the bush (we're calling it a tree, after how difficult it was to move!) and didn't want to get rid of it, so we trimmed it back by half, and after three hard days of digging and loosening roots to no avail, Ken called in my Dad and his pickup. They were able to pull the magnolia out and spare enough roots (we hope) that it should come back nicely at the corner of the house and will serve as a screen there to hide the meters on the side of the house.

Update March 25: The magnolia seems to like its new spot in the yard—it popped some new blooms today! (There's quite a hole where it used to be, but it won't be long before we have it filled in and get that area looking nice again.)

Spring in Kansas...at least for now

This mallard pair has been hanging around, even coming up on our front porch. We suspect they're looking for a place to nest. We wouldn't mind letting them be our guests for a few weeks. I got to watch baby ducks hatch and immediately follow their mother to a nearby lake a few years ago, and it was a delightful thing to witness!

We've been reveling in the blossoming of the Bradford pear tree in our backyard. Such a beautiful time of year here in Kansas (even though we know there could still be snow, ice, and all kinds of "winter" still to come before spring really settles in to stay.

Almost spring?

The last day of February and while we are more than ready for spring and working in the yard, we are also enjoying this beautiful snow while it's here. The photo below was taken long after sunset, yet the snow illumined the entire neighborhood. It's really beautiful to look out on, and I love the patterns the snow has created on the table and in the trees.