Current Dispatch - End of March

Just before the rain, I managed to plant two rows of broccoli, a row of marigolds, and a row of cabbage. Let's hope the rain and slowly warming earth help them to sprout! Squirrelboy insisted on going out in the rain and jumping in puddles. Nothing is happier than a little boy getting drenched as he splashes in joy. When the soil dries out enough, I'll continue planting cabbages and some early spring herbs. I also have seeds in the freezer and refrigerator to "cold treat" and then pull out mid-April for planting.

Spring Worktime

Yellow buds swell on the spicebushes. Crocus and daffodils bloom in the formal gardens. The bees are busy visiting the tree blossoms for their pollen and nectar. Their population has exploded! We saw a pair of tiny red squirrels chasing each other last week in addition to the more common fox squirrels. A bluebird couple checks out the nesting boxes. Insects invade our house and bustle about on their own business. Many wildflowers spring from the earth. The bloodroot is blooming!

With all the warmth and business of the season, our family has much work to do: starting seeds, stripping the backing off shingles for the Lord to put up on the roof, planning gardens, planting brand new pear trees, playing in the mud if you are a Squirrelboy, climbing trees if you are a Faerygirl, building playhouses, trying to raise queens for the bees, turning the earth, digging weeds, making spring tonic from those weeds, and edging the gardens.

Close Encounters of the Crayfish Kind

As I was pulling a plastic bag from the little ditch alongside my woods, I gasped and then chuckled. Trapped inside was a curious crawdad who had probably gone in to investigate any vestiges of food that had been left behind. I shook it out gently and brought it to Squirrelboy, who was sitting jauntily in the wheelbarrow. He was a little nervous about the small "lobster" crawling around his feet and legs. But I let him know that it would not harm him as long as he was gentle and kind. Soon Faerygirl joined us, and the two children enjoyed playing with their new friend. It reminded me so much of my own childhood, growing up along a creek, and playing with the crawdads that lived there. This particular specimen was a real beauty, with shiny patterned brown carapace, soft-looking cartilage showing at the joints, and a perky demeanor. After a while, we let it go back to the ditch from whence it came. It is a wonder to me that we have crawdads in our woods, for while it is quite wet this time of year, in the late summer it becomes very dry.

I continued cleaning up the trash spread along the north side of our woods. It looked as if a bag of someone's trash had been dragged along the ditch, probably by neighboring dogs, raccoons, or other varmints. The water was cool as I poked bits of plastic out with sticks. This sort of litter I can handle; no one meant for it to be there. However, I am extremely disgruntled by the litterers who think wooded roadsides are the perfect place to toss their used cups and cigarette packages and beer bottles. In the woods to the north of us, I constantly find large piles of beer cans and liquor bottles. This troubles me, since I really don't want drunk kids messing around so close to where my children play. Often these cans have bullet holes in them. Along the west side of the woods, someone likes to drink coffee and throw their giant styrofoam cups into the brambles. It truly offends me that someone would be so discourteous. The least they could do is keep their trash inside the car until they get home.

Tasting the First Weed of Spring

I ate my first weed of the season yesterday! With the warmth and wetness, all the green things are springing from the earth. As I unloaded the groceries I saw the vibrant weeds thrusting up along the concrete pad. I greeted the dandelions with joy. I just could not resist taking a brand new leaf for a little taste. It was delightful! Soon I will be making weed salads again. In the yard, the grass and clover are greening. Little sprouts hide under the leaf mulch. And the insects are out! Our bees are doing well, and the fly family is also buzzing about. Even though I know cold weather can still visit from time to time, I believe that Spring has come at last. And did you see that Full Moon? My, she was gorgeous! It has been so exciting to watch the green returning to Dragonwood, first in the moss and lichen, now the grass...and soon it will be fresh new leaves. I know that flowers are open somewhere, probably high atop the maples, because the bees are bringing in creamy pollen in their leg baskets. If you see an insect in your own back yard, greet her for me!