Ice covered backyard. (C) Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp

Roses are red

Violets are blue

My landscape looks dead

What about you?

Potted plants emerge from their mulch covering. (C) Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp

As you can see from the photos, much of my landscape is still under ice, albeit quickly receding, but ice nonetheless.

The grape hyacinth leaves have emerged and, of course, hold the promise of spring. The plants in pots that I covered in mulch to winter over also have been unearthed by the melting ice and some of them even look alive.

Waiting for the plain, red amaryllis to bloom. (C) Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp

Indoors, a plain, red amaryllis is about to unfurl, which will be the only blooms in my life for a while.

Thanks to May Dreams Gardens for being the host of Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day. Visit the site to enter the URL for your blog that chronicles your gardening adventures the 15th of every month.

What: Growing “Green” Vegetable Series, five sessions for current and aspiring vegetable growers to learn from experts about ways to increase the success and satisfaction of quality vegetable production in their gardens and farms. It should be of interest to current and prospective farmers, market gardeners, and more advanced home gardeners. A distance learning program, it will be available at 22 sites across Indiana including Purdue Extension-Marion County, 6640 Intech Blvd., Suite 120, Indianapolis.

When: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Tuesdays, Feb. 8, 15, 22 and March 1 and 8, 2011

Fee: $50 for five sessions; $15 for single session, which includes all handouts and resource materials.

Registration: On line registration deadline is Jan. 28.

For more info: Call 317-275-9286 or e-mail: dschelsk@purdue.edu.

What: Growing for Market 2011, a three-session series that offers current and aspiring farmers the opportunity to learn about the emerging consumer demand for locally produced farm products and identify which of these products is appropriate for their operation. This is a distance learning program available at 21 sites throughout Indiana, including Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, 1029 Fletcher Ave.

When: 6:30 to 9 p.m., Wednesdays, Feb. 2, 9, and 16, 2011

Fee: Three sessions: $30; one session, $15, which includes handouts and resource materials.

Registration: On line registration deadline is Jan. 26.

For more info: Contact Purdue Extension-Marion County, (317) 275-9286 or e-mail: dschelsk@purdue.edu.