buds...

it was thirty-eight degrees ( fahrenheit ) when i got home from work today...but the sun was going down and i could see by the standing water it had been warmer...a quick look around the yard in the failing light showed many buds on multiple branches...they'd be there anyway but not necessarily this large...it is forecast to be winter again ( at least temperature wise...this week has precipitation coming but it will be january rain ) so we will be seeing a hiatus in development...but what is in store for february? there's winter vetch poking up through the snow/ice pack ( third photo ) and...unless i a m grossly mistaken that is the intransigent lemon balm next to it ( it lost its battle in the sunchoke bed last summer by the by...the jerusalem artichokes shaded it...and everything else, out )...warmth and sun has the clover upright again along with the winter rye which has never really quit...but the last cold snap has finally done in the yellow peas...the one in the last photo is wilted from freezing and will not be coming back...that's how annuals operate.