Where is the spring?????

Since we have had a few very nice and warm days a few weeks ago I really was "ready" for spring. But now we are back to cooler temperatures and the weather forecast talked about snow again.... yes- its Feb and its normal to have snow then but this year we already had a long winter (for us) - snow from December til February which isn't usual here in Munich - even that's why the season is called winter. And I think we are not used to that anymore - why else we are always  talking about "century winter" - I think the winters around 1950 were hard and cold ones. But now that we had winters without or little snow we don't know anymore what "winter" is.

Today I got shocked. Max had to see the vet and as I am alone at home during the day its not easy to get just one dog outside and in the car. You need a plan: So - first I go outside and drive out of the garage. Then I open the back door - then I have to go back into the house again - have to confine BEN in the living room (door is open but a "baby fence" between corridor and living room - have to snap Max while Ben is jumping up and down like a jojo. Okay, everything worked well and right now I had Max on the backseat of my car I couldn't trust my eyes and ears. I saw BEN jumping up and down at the garden fence.... Hell - what did he do? He jumped over the baby fence - my little boy was so in fear of left alone - he jumped.... and I think the fence is about 100 cm......Now this procedure can be left behind as well.... Next time I have to close the door but I am sure he will open it! HE WILL!

This hibiscus has its own story - I bought it as a souvenir back in 1999 on my first holidays in Hawaii - you could bought it there at the airport - it was just a piece of wood - I had no idea which ending to put into ground as both looked alike. So I chose one ending - put it into ground - watered it - and waited - waited - waited - for over half a year. Then I could see something light green growing.... Waited again and then the first leave appeared. I was in heaven - I was the "born gardener" I thought.....Sadly there were just leaves which did grow.... then the "wood" got taller and taller - more leaves but no blossom. In more than 3 yeas it did grow to a real tree (about 2,40 meters tall) but no blossoms. Lots of branches and leaves - no blossom was in sight. Then one day I went to a huge garden shop here in Munich and asked if I could "help" this hibiscus to show up some nice blossoms and was told that there is no chance. As those hibiscus plants are having sun 12 hours a day there might be no chance as we don't have the chance for so much sunshine... So I was happy just with the "tree" - my hibiscus - cultivated by myself....

And you know what - after more than 5 years the first blossom appeared.... then the second  - third....

and all in such a beautiful red. I was sooo proud - and now I have lots of small "children" of this Hawaiian hibiscus in my house. And they all show blossoms every now and then.....