Waiting for Winter

We are having a ridiculously mild winter.  While I appreciate all the extra opportunities to work (and play) outside, I have to admit I'm a little concerned.  These cabbage worms should have died (or gone into hiding or dormancy or whatever it is cabbage worms do during the winter) a month ago.

Cabbage worm crawling on my slightly eaten cabbage.

Central Maryland exists in a fantastic climate zone with a near perfect balance between a long growing season and a good, hard, bug-killing freeze.  Usually, at any rate.

The boys and I have been taking advantage of the nice weather to get some prep work done in the garden.  I've been working my way through the community garden plot, raising the beds where things will be planted this year and laying down cardboard on several of the paths.  I can already see the perennial weeds that survived last season coming back to haunt me, so I've been doing a lot of pre-emptive weeding, too.

While I'm waiting for winter and prepping for summer, some of the plants around my yard are getting ready for spring.  These bulbs usually come up in late January, but decided to to strike out early this year.

The Lenten Rose by my driveway (see Replanting Near the Driveway and Some Photos I Meant to Post Sooner) has set some beautiful little pink buds.  They look so classic spring peeping out from amongst last fall's leaves.

Lenten Rose