Keeping up with the spring arrivals

Bulb foliage has died back enough and grass has grown enough that the trusty non-power mower came into use this morning for the first time this year. Only leaves of the Dutch iris have not yet turned brown. A good-sized opossum was seen yesterday morning next door. Our newest arrivals in the flower world are nasturtiums (orange), cultivated rudbeckia, two colors of four o'clock, both yellow and orange Bright Lights cosmos, fennel flowers, and the first lantana flowers. One loquat fruit, not very large, but the first of the season, was discovered on the ground. We continue to harvest yellow wax beans, serrano chiles, and grape tomatoes grown in pots. It is quite a surprise that there are still cyclamen and clematis flowers. The transoms are not yet open for the summer season.