Wow, this month flew by! Been hunting Wild leeks and fiddleheads, in addition to trying to get a garden going. Tried some trout fishing (no luck), did a bunch of Bullhead fishing (lots of luck).
Spring has sprung! The grass has turned green, the bloodroot are blooming, the trillium are almost there. The crabapples outside the office at work have leafed out, and are about a week from blooming, and tomorrow a bunch of camoflaged hunters take to the woods in search of turkeys.
I love spring. I'll write more soon, got some interesting stuff going in the garden this year (a sneak preview; the two hottest peppers in the world!!).
Showing posts with label Spring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spring. Show all posts
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Know Your Island Neighbor
Spring has finally arrived, and once again the Champlain Islands are alive with the sounds and sights of migrating birds. Soon maple sugaring season will draw to a close and neighbors will open their homes to welcome the warm weather. Eventually various sizes and shapes of flowers will burst forth on the landscape. The change of the seasons is an exciting time, and also one for reflection.
For some Islanders this was certainly a hard winter. It’s on everyone’s faces and minds, and evidenced further by the foreclosure and auction notices in this very paper. Now is the time to talk to neighbors and see how they faired, especially the elderly. Did they have enough heat, food, help with chores, or rides to the doctor?
Ask now, and talk things through while it’s still fresh in the memory. A little foresight can make a big difference in the lives of fellow Islanders. We all like to think things will suddenly get better, but it will most likely be a more gradual transition to good economic times. By talking to each other and finding out issues now, we have a lot of time to work through them, as solutions don’t come quickly.
By knowing the challenges our fellow Islanders faced this winter, we can better plan how to help them during the next. Every little bit helps, and little things go along way. Could be you have a friend or co-worker who’s cutting down a tree and is looking to get rid of the wood. Maybe you have some extras from the garden to can or dry. If you’ve got some extra freezer space you could even freeze some fish you catch in a block of ice. It could be as simple as clipping coupons to give away, or sharing a trip to the grocery store with an elderly neighbor.
Not so long ago it was our sense of community that set us apart. A time when neighbors helped neighbors, whether it was getting in the hay before the rain, watching the kids so someone could run a few errands, or an electrician offering to wire a town building. In your own way, do what you can to help your neighbors and make our Islands a better place.
For some Islanders this was certainly a hard winter. It’s on everyone’s faces and minds, and evidenced further by the foreclosure and auction notices in this very paper. Now is the time to talk to neighbors and see how they faired, especially the elderly. Did they have enough heat, food, help with chores, or rides to the doctor?
Ask now, and talk things through while it’s still fresh in the memory. A little foresight can make a big difference in the lives of fellow Islanders. We all like to think things will suddenly get better, but it will most likely be a more gradual transition to good economic times. By talking to each other and finding out issues now, we have a lot of time to work through them, as solutions don’t come quickly.
By knowing the challenges our fellow Islanders faced this winter, we can better plan how to help them during the next. Every little bit helps, and little things go along way. Could be you have a friend or co-worker who’s cutting down a tree and is looking to get rid of the wood. Maybe you have some extras from the garden to can or dry. If you’ve got some extra freezer space you could even freeze some fish you catch in a block of ice. It could be as simple as clipping coupons to give away, or sharing a trip to the grocery store with an elderly neighbor.
Not so long ago it was our sense of community that set us apart. A time when neighbors helped neighbors, whether it was getting in the hay before the rain, watching the kids so someone could run a few errands, or an electrician offering to wire a town building. In your own way, do what you can to help your neighbors and make our Islands a better place.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Spring Blitzkrieg
Spring came into full force this week. Wow. The daily commute brings me past Sandbar Nat'l Wildlife Refuge, and it's a hopping place. Every piece of open water is chock full of ducks. I've seen so much waterfowl between ducks and geese so far. Everything is ready for spring.
Saw a Great Blue Heron hunting open water from the edge of the ice. Saw Osprey bringing sticks to the nest platforms above power lines. Saw some Wood ducks paddling around. My wife swears she saw a Pintail (I'm jealous, still never seen one). The ice on Lake Champlain is looking particularly ready to break up. Though I do note there are some fools who still insist on going out on it. At least they're being smart and staying next to shore!
The downside is all the leaves covering flower beds are still wet and heavy. They're hiding the best signs of spring, all the new plants looking for sunshine. Tulips poking skyward. The sedum looking for some light. It's all a matter of time. I looked at the buds on some apple trees, and elderberry yesterday, and they were looking ready. Pretty soon the buds will pop out on the Maples and sugaring will come to an end. Spring's just around the corner now.
Saw a Great Blue Heron hunting open water from the edge of the ice. Saw Osprey bringing sticks to the nest platforms above power lines. Saw some Wood ducks paddling around. My wife swears she saw a Pintail (I'm jealous, still never seen one). The ice on Lake Champlain is looking particularly ready to break up. Though I do note there are some fools who still insist on going out on it. At least they're being smart and staying next to shore!
The downside is all the leaves covering flower beds are still wet and heavy. They're hiding the best signs of spring, all the new plants looking for sunshine. Tulips poking skyward. The sedum looking for some light. It's all a matter of time. I looked at the buds on some apple trees, and elderberry yesterday, and they were looking ready. Pretty soon the buds will pop out on the Maples and sugaring will come to an end. Spring's just around the corner now.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Getting Ready For Spring
A short trip outside will tell you all the signs are pointing to spring. The birds are returning, the pussywillows are blooming, and tulips are begining to poke through their beds. Water is pooling on top of the ice on the lake, the snow is starting to dissappear. Spring is in the air.
Well almost. The air is still maintaining around the freezing mark, so much so the maple sap is flowing very slowly. Kind of natures own way of doing a hatchet job on the global warming everyone's been talking about. Or has it? Seems like the we're losing more of the inbetween days, and dealing with more extremes.
All told though, it's been a long winter. We started getting dumped on with the white stuff in early December, and it came down steady after that. I'm ready for warm temps, and green leaves. I talked with a guy yesterday who made a good point though. With everything white, you don't have to swat mosquitoes. Everything with a grain of salt here in Vermont!
Well almost. The air is still maintaining around the freezing mark, so much so the maple sap is flowing very slowly. Kind of natures own way of doing a hatchet job on the global warming everyone's been talking about. Or has it? Seems like the we're losing more of the inbetween days, and dealing with more extremes.
All told though, it's been a long winter. We started getting dumped on with the white stuff in early December, and it came down steady after that. I'm ready for warm temps, and green leaves. I talked with a guy yesterday who made a good point though. With everything white, you don't have to swat mosquitoes. Everything with a grain of salt here in Vermont!
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