First Flower of Spring

Squirrelboy brought me the first flower of Spring - a pretty yellow crocus. The bees from our three surviving hives are out visiting. I think the maple blossoms may be feeding them. I planted some early spring herbs - fenugreek, chervil, cilantro, amaranth, fennel, and cumin. The warmth today makes me want to plant and weed everything! Unfortunately, I don't have the time to do that today. The dog and cats are playful. We have seen the cranes, geese, and redwinged blackbirds returning. The blackbirds sing from the weeds, staking out their territories with music. Last week, all four of us went out in the cool wet mud and planted about 120 linear feet on the north and west side of the house in ferns and wildflowers. Inside, the rooms grow more beautiful as we hang pictures and move in furniture. There are still many details that need arranging, but we are happy to be living in such a beautiful place.

The Passing of May

This has been a busy month for us in Dragonwood. It is the month of warmth and planting the rest of the garden, the month of asparagus for dinner, the month of bees swarming. I have caught three escaping swarms, bringing our hive count to ten! We have been eating asparagus several times a week, and I even put a couple of quarts away for the winter. I love asparagus - it comes up anew every day, and it is so tender and tasty. Our strawberries are starting to come on, as well. When I am weeding the strawberry/asparagus patches, I don't hesitate to nibble for some refreshment. This has also been the month of irises, which bloomed gloriously this year. Now it is getting hot, and the mosquitoes are starting to haunt the woods. They like the undersides of cool green leaves. Squirrelboy emulates his namesake, climbing everywhere he possibly can. When I am working in the garden, he wanders off on great adventures, absolutely fearless. I often must go hunt him when my tasks are finished, but he is usually found in one of his favorite places - a mud pit, a pile of wood, or a dirt hill. In the Manor, the Lord of Dragonwood and our hired man work diligently to hang our drywall. Most of the large rooms are being mudded now. Today I made a large harvest of citrus thyme, which I hope to sell at the farmer's market. We won't be selling until July, but there is much work to be done now. I also hope to make lots of tasty herbal tea. The mint is insane in my gardens, and I must pull it as a weed to make room for other things.

Current Dispatch

The lavender and rosemary in the house seem happy. New growth greens up, and I can't wait until the days are warm enough to take them out and play. Charmer, a male cat who adopted us, keeps coming home with wounds. He fights and gets the worst of it, I'm afraid. So I'm pulling out the hydrogen peroxide and kitty antibiotics again. I've also just begun my herbalist journey, and my excitement is tempered with the knowledge that I'll be working on this for a very long time. No, that's not true...the knowledge that I'll be working on this for a very long time is exciting, too. This week...boneset and gentian, I believe. And there's lots of reading. And I have to write a paper. Yippee! I am ridiculously happy with the higher angle of the sun, an earlier sunrise, green things edging their way towards strength, a new venture, and health in the family.