Kerfuffle on the pond...

 April 16. Spring is inching along. There have been a few beautiful, sunny, warmish days, interspersed with days of wind, rain, and even a few snow flurries. The frost is mostly out of the ground now, and the pond ice finally disintegrated on the 11th. 

A pair of mallard ducks have taken up residence. There was a kerfuffle on the pond early this morning, when another pair showed up. There was a lot of splashing and chasing, until the usurpers were sent winging on their way by the male, the female calmly watching from up on the grass along the edge.

Finally, I am seeing shoots from the snowdrops and crocus.

 The garlic is poking up about an inch, under the thick mulch of leaves over their bed.

Lilac buds are swelling, twigs of the red maples etched against the sky, are showing a definite thickening and reddening, and there is a very faint haze of green throughout the tops of the aspens, as their buds grow. 

The early spring bird migrants have been arriving. Monday last, the phoebes arrived, along with a blue bird. That was a surprise, as the bluebirds don't usually get here until on into May. He didn't stay long, just checked the place out, flying from clothesline post to solar panel, and was gone. Bluebirds are usually paired up, but this one was alone, so perhaps he is off to seek a mate. 

Yesterday I spotted a white-throated sparrow, and the squabbling red wing blackbirds are still hanging out. I keep telling them to be off and find a cat-tail swamp to set up their territories. As time goes on, they are showing more and more of their red epaulettes, as they jockey for space on the feeder. 

The timberdoodles (woodcocks) are here. On the recent night of the full moon and clear skies, we could hear them 'pweenting' and twittering, pretty much all night.

My shamrock is blooming, a small cheerful pot of blooms.

I didn't bring in any amaryllis bulbs from the cold room this year, as I plan to put them all out in the garden to spend the summer, once we get into consistent above freezing temperatures.

The seedlings under lights are all doing well, and some will soon need to be transplanted into bigger pots.

Slowly, spring is advancing. Soon it will be serious gardening time!

 

Happiness is.......green things.....

April 4. This snow/rain/sleet/mud...."whatever".... season is a good time to do some crafting. It's the "in between" section of the year when it isn't feasible to do much outdoors, other than just enjoy the warm sunny days that come along, interspersing the nasty ones. It is too hard to stay indoors on the good days!! Who knows what spring wonders are appearing out there...newly arriving migrants, wandering strutting turkeys, perhaps a sprig of green somewhere....?

On those other days, when Mother Nature is messing with our minds with more snow and wind, I've been doing a little crafting. I sewed a little bag to hold my sock knitting, two pair on the go right now.

This is the pattern and wool I ordered for the papillon shawl, next winter's project, and another colourful zippered bag I sewed just for it.

I've been eyeing the shawl kit for a while, and it was on sale, so gave in. The skeins are hand dyed, superwash merino.

Here is the beginning of this year's pepper patch. Some California Wonder, Red Carmen and a couple of Jalapenos.

My Meyer lemon 'grove' is growing, really starting to respond to the higher light levels and the little feeding of half strength fish emulsion fertilizer I gave them. Looking forward to getting them into bigger pots and installed outside on the picnic table once summer arrives.

The basil in the kitchen window that has limped along all winter has really started to show it's mettle.

This is a shamrock I forgot to bring out into warmth and heat in time for St. Patrick's day, but it is forging ahead now.

Saturday was Seed Exchange day, and it was good to talk to some like minded gardening folk, and also pick up some interesting seeds. Now I have to peruse my garden sketches to see where I can fit in a few other things!

Welcome back!