We often miss the buzz of life in Toronto, but this time of year in the countryside is awesome in sight and sound. Glorious sunrise at 5:38am. Ghostly geese flocking north in the mist, honking like cabs in Manhattan. And is that snow on the roof?? (nope, just a flurry of apple blossoms...)
Rehabbing the north border of the house uses up old newspapers, reclaimed cedar poles, and last week's cedar mulch. Yard rocks get pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle to form a dry base for the garden hose.
Rhubarb, berries, and asparagus reappear every year. But the annual Pick 'n Plant of veggies like lettuce and chard is another sign of spring. Hand-tilling is considered most soil-friendly...
Problem: ants swarming down into the hummingbird feeder, spoiling the syrup. Solution: put a pudding cup in their way and add water. Ants can't swim!
The town compost pile is a free black mountain, like gravy with vitamins for the plant beds.
Lots of newborns out there, some very visible. This 6-inch baby fox snake was guarded by its 24-inch momma, both cruising the pond for a meal. Luckily for this baby robin, the snakes can't climb the barn wall.
Another country ritual is to put out a Free Pile of your junk ---- it's amazing what other people will take. Our pile included old boards, leaky garden hose, chipped mirrors, ratty rugs, scrap eavestrough, and playing cards. The gem was a cranky yellow chain saw passed down from Pat's uncle Arnold ---- scooped up within 5 minutes by the first drive-by. What do you think will still be untaken by this afternoon?
This morning the bird feeder was empty and crooked. The biggest branch of a young maple had been snapped off roughly. Holes were dug in the new compost coverage. The culprit? --- the familiar masked bandit. Ahh, country living...
Rehabbing the north border of the house uses up old newspapers, reclaimed cedar poles, and last week's cedar mulch. Yard rocks get pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle to form a dry base for the garden hose.
Rhubarb, berries, and asparagus reappear every year. But the annual Pick 'n Plant of veggies like lettuce and chard is another sign of spring. Hand-tilling is considered most soil-friendly...
Problem: ants swarming down into the hummingbird feeder, spoiling the syrup. Solution: put a pudding cup in their way and add water. Ants can't swim!
The town compost pile is a free black mountain, like gravy with vitamins for the plant beds.
Lots of newborns out there, some very visible. This 6-inch baby fox snake was guarded by its 24-inch momma, both cruising the pond for a meal. Luckily for this baby robin, the snakes can't climb the barn wall.
Another country ritual is to put out a Free Pile of your junk ---- it's amazing what other people will take. Our pile included old boards, leaky garden hose, chipped mirrors, ratty rugs, scrap eavestrough, and playing cards. The gem was a cranky yellow chain saw passed down from Pat's uncle Arnold ---- scooped up within 5 minutes by the first drive-by. What do you think will still be untaken by this afternoon?
This morning the bird feeder was empty and crooked. The biggest branch of a young maple had been snapped off roughly. Holes were dug in the new compost coverage. The culprit? --- the familiar masked bandit. Ahh, country living...
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