Its time!!!!

March 31, 2023

There is nothing like a walk in the early spring woods.

Milder daytime temperatures have melted and compacted the snow down a bit, but after a cold night, walking pretty much anywhere in the bush, or across the field without snowshoes, is possible, at least until the day warms up.

The stronger sunlight is melting the cowls of snow away from tree trunks,

and sweet water is rising in the maples.

The air is crisp and clear, the sky bluer, and there is more active bird life. The woodpeckers are vigorously tapping out their spring messages, Barred owls are talking, and the Chickadees are making their 2 note, “sweet spring” song. A few Red winged blackbirds have arrived, their somewhat raucous, ”oak-a-lees”, resonating from the treetops. They are giving the greedy Blue Jays a run for the seed tray. The first Robin was spotted here a few days ago, hopping along the edge of exposed lawn beside the driveway snowbank.

The garden beds at the end of March are just vague humps in the snow, only the taller edge of the strawberry bed frame is visible.

But....planting has begun!

It is about 8 weeks until we should be able to plant outdoors, so time to get some pepper and tomato seeds into soil. Despite mapping out a strict garden plan, I always end up starting more plants than the plan calls for...but they'll fit in somewhere....or I'll share!

There have been a few blustery days recently, with strong winds, snow flurries of huge flakes, whiting out visibility; and a few nights with actual snow accumulation, but it melts off rapidly on the next sunny day. Slowly, bits of bare ground are melting out on the south and west facing banks of the pond, and melt water is flooding out over the ice, looking very blue, reflecting the sunny spring sky.

Recently, some productive time has been spent crafting a few things in my sewing room for fun.

I recently purchased a bias tape maker, and used it to make tape to encase cording, to put piping around the edge of these bags, a technique new to me. 

This bag is made from old jeans.

There are many different ways of making a fold able shopping bag, and this one appealed to me because of the little quilt sandwich the bag rolls into.

It opens up the possibility of using up scraps of different fabrics, or even making mini quilt squares.