Our star magnolia has never looked more gorgeous, and it's blooming at least a week earlier than ever before. Of course that means we're in for a big wind and hail storm--never fails, and one is predicted today. Word from the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota is that the ice is out--the earliest ice-out on record by over a week. I mowed the front yard Monday and cut a big bowl of lettuce and spinach from the garden yesterday. There's usually still snow on the ground and frost in the ground this time in April.