It feels like winter is here to stay. The weather has been harsh, with the temperature dipping below freezing several times, along with a few snowfalls, interspersed with rain and wind.

1. I stood inside a warm house to take this picture through the window of a flock of mourning doves and a junco flattened against the south facing slope in the backyard to escape the worst of the wind.

2. Spring bulbs are making themselves known. Most, like this allium, are polite and well mannered.

3. Not daffodils. Daffodils multiply like rabbits. Last summer I dug up huge clumps of daffodil bulbs and gave away 4 boxes of them to anyone who would take them.

I missed a few clumps.

4. I am so ready for spring. I bought a packet of the cherry tomato, ‘Tiny Tim.’ I had planned to get the other tomato I always get from my favorite garden store when the new 2021 seeds arrived. Then I was inspired by the wonderful tomatoes on Lisa’s Garden Adventures. It was time to break out of my tomato rut.

I found Sow True Seed’s headquarters right here in Asheville. They have a huge variety of tomatoes. I’d never heard of most of them. I bought ‘German Chocolate’ and ‘Garden Peach.’ This is gonna be a fun tomato year.

5. Instead of tossing out a hodge-podge of wildflower seeds like I did last year, I hope to cover most of the slope in the backyard with Black-Eyed Susans and Purple Coneflower. Both are natives.

6. Sunflower seeds. An impulse buy. I have absolutely no idea where I will plant this.

Click on over to The Propagator, esteemed host of Six on Saturday, where gardeners from around the world gather, share ideas and loads of inspiration.