A Little Spring Update

 

Typical spring weather here means lots of cloudy, cool days, some rain, a few warm sunny days, and this week some lows in the 20's F.  My young peach trees are in bloom, so I hope they will be fine if I cover them.  A nice day means I'm gardening or working on a project, one of which was the beginnings of a stone garden path between the tool shed and the raised beds.  Next up is to lay stone in front of the shed entrance.  With lots of help, I also have a compost bin now, built out of a few free pallets.

One warm day we hiked at the wildlife refuge looking for some signs of spring--leaves are starting to unfurl and some wild flowers were in bloom. 

The hellebores were cut Easter morning and lasted a couple weeks in the vase.  Tulips and snow in summer are in bloom and leaves are starting to open on the trees...I can't wait until all is green again.  Hope you are enjoying Spring!

Deb

waiting for Springtime

It's a warm, blustery, 60 degrees F, on this last day of February. On our walk I noticed a dandelion in bloom and, in my garden, the tulips are starting to push up out of the soil.  The bud's are swelling on the lilac bushes, and we heard the very first Canadian geese fly overhead last week.  There is also a winter storm watch for this weekend!

Life is returning to normal after our recent trip to visit family in Florida.  The sunshine and 80 degree temps revived our winter-weary spirits.  We boated, walked and had a picnic lunch on Peanut Island, did some sightseeing, and walked along the ocean sand.  Home again, I have been sewing some new bags for the shop and am determined to get going on my Spring cleaning.  I also have plenty of trim and door painting left to do as it slowly gets installed. 

I hope that you all are enjoying the promise of Spring (or already in the midst of Springtime)  and that everything is well with you.  If you would like to leave a comment I would love to hear how you have been and what you may be working on of late!

Deb

Nature notes...

We are sincerely hoping to have seen the last of the snow.  Walking daily through the fields and woods with my trusty companion, little signs of Spring are beginning to appear, like lots of birdsong, spring peepers, mayapples, and...

Trout Lily or Dog's-tooth violet...These just started to bloom in the narrow strip of woods at the west edge of our property.  The ground in the woods is carpeted with the beautiful mottled leaves.  Naturalist, James Burroughs, named it Trout Lily as it is a member of the Lily Family and comes into bloom at the start of trout season. Their appearance is an encouraging sign that Spring has arrived here.

The dandelion is another one of the first flowers to make an appearance here.  According to An introduction to nature: Birds, wild flowers, trees "It is found in all inhabited regions of the earth.  ...but, because it is so widespread and so abundant, its beauty is overlooked."  

Leaves on the underbrush are starting to open.

One of several rock piles that are bound to be found along the edges of farmers' fields.

This strip of woods was once the edge of a cow pasture, and many of the trees were used to support the barbed wire fencing.  This interesting, rotted trunk was the corner of the pasture, and I can still tell where the fencing was once attached...

Along the ground, some of the barbed wire still remains...

I can hardly wait until the trees have their leaves!

Deb

feeling thankful...

Mid-morning tea with some blueberry buckle--a long time favorite recipe!

I cannot resist 'free' stuff, such as this perfectly good door ~ with some more scraping and sanding
and finishing, it will find a place in our new laundry room

A beautiful end-of-day sky while out for a walk with the dog.

We have a foundation, rough grade, septic system and the beginning of the
garage walls.  We're presently in a brief lull as our framer is on vacation for a week.

An amazing old oak tree on our walk through the wooded trails.

Beautiful goldenrod!

Checking out a nearby lake at sunset as a possible spot for kayaking.

I am just soaking up these late summer days.  After unseasonably hot weather for us, the nights have cooled off and an extra blanket is kept within reach at bedtime.  I am still shopping for lighting and faucets and am trying to come up with a unique cabinet for the pantry.  And, there's still the question of what floorings to use in the bathrooms...

But more importantly, I am counting my blessings today, this September 11, and remembering the lives lost 14 years ago.  

Waiting...

I took my camera over to our property one evening to get some photos, while Mike was shooting grades and digging another inspection hole.  

We have not been able to start on the basement for the house...the inspection holes are still filling up with water at 3 to 4 ft as Mike digs them.  Holes from previous digs have become home to frogs who apparently love to jump in and keep cool and moist.

The subcontractor says go with a crawl space or sell the land...so a crawl space it will be. Still waiting for a date as to when that will happen.

So, for now, we go there to walk the dogs, enjoy the peace and quiet, and dream.

Deb

getting away...

After enduring the cold and snow that was the month of February, it was heavenly to recently spend some time in Palm Beach with my sister & brother-in-law.  We planned a similar trip last winter, but our flights were cancelled due to weather, causing great disappointment. What are the chances that our flight would again be cancelled this year, due to weather?!...yes, it happened.  But this time, we were able to fly out the next morning thanks to a Jet Blue employee who went out of her way to get us all booked together on the next soonest flight.
We walked the beach, soaked up some sun by the pool, did a little shopping, and took a few nature walks where we sighted some amazing birds.  We quite hated to pack up and leave at the end of our stay,
but have come home recharged and happy to see that some signs of spring have finally arrived here at home.

Deb