(ONTARIO + MICHIGAN) + (ILLINOIS + INDIANA) = NORTH DAKOTA

This past week was full of new stuff. New blossoms included the perfume-y lilacs and multi-colour tulips. New plantings included peas and chard. Then we went on a new driving route (finishing up in separate vehicles --- read on), starting with a cousin-visit in hometown Windsor on Victoria Day. Over to Michigan for a cousin-guided pilgrimage to my late Aunt's house. Eventually to a niece's home where the gardeners graphed a new plot like a military campaign ---- what goes where? what colours/colors? sun or shade?

In the meantime, Pat needs a little truck and I'm always looking for the next red convertible. So who got their wish?? Both of us! Last week I found and "won" an ebay auction on a 1989 Dodge Dakota convertible pickup. I flew to Chicago on Tuesday, went to DeKalb Illinois to do the paperwork with the seller, and promptly drove 400 miles through Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan to wait out the US customs 72-hour notice requirement. It's a beauty, kept in great shape with all kinds of new parts and upgrades. How cool is the burgundy velour interior with re-installed original cassette tape player?!?

Crossed the border with documents for both sides and only one dubious delaying customs lady (guess: was she on the U.S. side or a Canadian officer?) Very excited driving back home. I had driven 600 miles with just a temporary Illinois window sticker on the back window and no problems. But when Pat took her turn to drive about 60 miles, she was stopped THREE times by the highway cops (non-conforming sticker is supposed to be in the front window in Ontario). I think they just wanted to check out the cool truck.

You might recall we had one of these rare trucks, white, in the late '90's. Do you think this one will actually get dirty doing garden work?? Hmmm. Oh, and we always name our rides. A Dodge Dakota exported to Canada?? Obvious name ----  North Dakota!

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Remember in the last posting, the mulch guy couldn't get it up? (Up the hill, I mean.) So this week we had to shuttle the tons in to bins and man it up by vanning it up. Pat was on the bottom, I was on top. (Of the hill, I mean.) And there were other events that could be grouped under "Unfinished Business".

The spring wave of bird arrivals was completed with the vivid Baltimore Orioles (female in photo) showing up. The local Blue Jays are having a better season than the Toronto kind. The bear is still tearing up stuff, like this window screen, looking for food. The last bulbs to bloom are this hybrid tulip that grows on clusters ---- a bouquet in every bulb! The local ferry finally went to its seasonal dock, but has to limit it's load due to low water levels. Pat took her springtime rubber-romp in the pond to scoop sludge (getting rid of the algae is still unfinished). I've been undoing part of the deck --- the structure is now unfinished.

Lilacs are late to blossom up here but should be finished this week. Hula hoops make good corrals for floating plants. Squirrels are comical as they hang upside down to munch sunflower seeds. There, now today's blog is ---- that's right --- finished!

SNOW AND MULCH? GO TO HILL!

A hill of a week here. Just across the bay there's the last bits of ski hill snow but on this side spring had really sprung, or more like shot from a cannon. Even the town muralist is going green on the walls! The valleys and pond area are in full blossom and absolutely exceptional this year. Suddenly it's gardening time and Pat had a local helper this year to move topsoil, do weeding and raking.Guess who's gonna shovel up the raccoon droppings?

On a quick trip to our Toronto ex-neighbourhood, the magnolia tree looked like it was snowing at the base. But the new pine cones back here are more purple than ever --- any explanation? As usual, the asparagus wins the First Veggie out of the ground trophy. Yummy.

We'd like to tell Roger H----- to go to hill! As a matter of fact, we did. He's got a big operation nearby with logs and cedar byproducts. We ordered a load of mulch but warned him about our steep hill and could his truck get up a 30-degree slope?? "Sure, sure, I've been in some pretty tough spots" he said, ignoring my death stares. We figured he knew his business and that his Sierra 4-by-4 could pull his trailer with 4 tonnes of mulch up our hill. No, nope, and no siree. After a few attempts, the befuddled and humbled Mr. H admitted his truck couldn't even pull the trailer up empty. He drove off, leaving us to load and shuttle the tons up the hill ourselves.

We were supposed to start the Cedar Shuttle this morning but winter has returned with cold blustery winds and heavy snow flurries. Better to stay indoors and celebrate my beloved Mom on Mother's Day ---- did you??

Post Script:  For the rest of the day and into the evening we had brutal wintery weather. Violent winds sent the BBQ cover into the woods. Snow fell sideways like billions of apple blossoms except it was biting cold, confusing the birds and confounding us. The electricity went on and off for hours, as if a diabolical Mother (Nature) was flicking the switch for fun....

CINCO DE MAYO

Today is Cinco de Mayo (5th of May) in Mexico, a celebration of past revolutionary victory. The chance to do a play on words of that phrase is irresistible! For example, the Great Lakes water levels are experiencing a Sinko de Mayo ---- the water is so low our local ferry can't dock at it's usual seasonal port and had to come back to town. The frogs, salamander and snakes are roaming, a Slinko de Mayo. The tulips, trilliums, and hyacinths are providing a pleasant fragrance ---- Stinko de Mayo?

But the gardening season is on, with tilling and early sprouts such as rhubarb and asparagus. New this year is  the current trend, called "raised bed' (no, NOT the adjustments in a hospital room). Pat will be planting veggies in a 16 foot by 4 foot wooden box that is first filled with rocks and sand for drainage, and then a layer of top soil/compost.

One of the joys of this Springo de Mayo is the sound of the returning birdlife, like the chirping of this warbler  who flew into the van for his ---- of course ---- Singo de Mayo!