February 2

Linderhof's garden has looked like this since Christmas Eve. And although I don't like slick conditions underfoot, I must admit that I do prefer a white winter garden to a brown winter garden.
The pond is frozen over and the yard is full of birds munching on the handouts that husband Jim puts out each morning. Fifty pounds of black sunflower seed is gone through every three weeks and we've counted at least 100 finches alone at a time. And there are other visitors -- the cardinals, the jays, the doves, the juncos . . .

But today is the day that a prediction is made as to whether or not there will be six more weeks of winter.
By this animal -- known as both a groundhog and a woodchuck. I prefer to call the animal a woodchuck -- sounds classier but today, it's his day and the day is known as Groundhog Day, so alas, this creature must be known as a groundhog on February 2.

There is a woodchuck that visits the garden at Linderhof. We're not sure where he lives for he doesn't live in our garden -- but sometimes in the summer he passes through.

We've not seen him today -- but if we had, he would not have seen his shadow -- for today, like the previous few days have been overcast -- overcast and looking like it might snow!

That means our resident groundhog (for today, we must call him that) has predicted that we will have an early spring.

And after such a long period of time with snow on the ground (not a normal occurrence on the prairie), we shall relish spring.

For instead of a garden which looks like this . . .

We can't wait for the garden to once again look like this . . .

Because the garden comes alive when it begins to green up . . .And come spring, we can pick bouquets of these to put all around the house. Linderhof becomes alive with blooms!

It's Wednesday and although Groundhog Day was on Tuesday, this is our post for Outdoor Wednesday . . . so join Susan at A Southern Daydreamer and see what everyone is doing outside this Wednesday.