New Day 2 – A Bit of This and That

 

April 23rd surprise

The warm weather does wonders for the spirit. One can’t be absolutely certain that we’ve seen the last of winter yet, but it certainly felt like it today. The air was tropical – heavenly, especially after waking to a white landscape only four days ago.

We’ve had warm days here and there over the past week or so – enough to begin preparing the gardens, and to repair all the cat tunnels. The weight of the snow snaps the poles that hold up the tunnel netting, so many of them need to be replaced. There are also holes that rodents have chewed that need to be repaired. I have two escape artists among my six cats who find all the holes. They are still getting out, so I know there’s at least one hole still to be repaired. I have to spy on these two escapees to see where they are getting out. They know better than to escape with me watching, else the hole disappears. 

Abbey the escape artist in the tunnel

Cat tunnel repaired

 

Once the snows receded, Max began his routine of showing up for breakfast every other day or so. A few days ago I looked out the window and there was Max with a friend. My first reaction was, “Good grief – not another cat!”

 

 

I snapped a few photos of her from the upstairs window, but when I went down to let him/them in, she ran off. I suspect she’s feral. Two of my cats were feral from this neighborhood, and this visitor looks very much like both of my two, so I suspect she’s a cousin. She was very pretty. Of course, she could be a he for all I know. 

It's no good telling him to get down

Max's friend

 

Ready to go

 

Today with the fabulous weather, I finished preparing the vegetable garden. Normally I buy seedlings as I have no sun indoors sufficient to start seeds, but this year I purchased a lamp and full spectrum bulbs so that I could be certain to have heirloom seed producing vegetables. Over the winter I purchased a fabulous lot of heirloom seeds, and on Monday, I planted the seeds – those that are agreeable to early starting. 

These are up over the garage - perfect for the hanging light

 

Last year I grew no root vegetables, but this year I will. I’m thinking of digging a cold cellar during the summer, but if I don’t I can use a fall back arrangement by storing them under the bulkhead in wooden boxes. The parsnips will stay in the ground over the winter to sweeten up. I’ve mapped out the garden and planned my rotation. I am so happy to be gardening again.

 I took the advice given in one of my books of placing newspaper covered with straw in the in between rows to keep the weeds down. I’m not certain this will work in my garden as the weeds had plenty of root-growing time last summer. But maybe I’ll be lucky.

Spring run off (no sitting down here yet)

Pond a few days ago before summer growth

 

Another reason I’m happy to be back outside is for the exercise. Like many, I have pounds to lose. My daughter recently sent me a link to a NY Times Magazine article on sugar – http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17Sugar-t.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&smid=fb-nytimes. If you go to the article, there’s a video of a lecture by Robert Lustig called “Sugar: The Bitter Truth.” If you take a look at it, you might just manage to get on top of your cravings – at least for a day.

Young dandelion plant - perfect for consumption

I watched the video, went outside and worked in the garden, cleared some of the debris around the yard, and then noticed that the dandelions were coming up.

I had already set myself the goal of eating off the earth as much as is possible this summer here in the woods, so…I picked my lunch. (While picking my lunch, by the way, I noticed the fiddleheads are getting ready for consumption as well. That will be tomorrow’s lunch.)  You can see I made a lovely salad from the dandelions. I added a handful of organic spinach, one hardboiled egg (still hot in the photo so the yolk looks vibrant), tomato, feta cheese, and a bit of oil and vinegar. I have to say that it was really delicious. And to think people spray poison on their dandelions instead of eating them. 

Nice pickings

Lunch

 

 

 

I found myself outside in the dark the other day, camera in hand. I was unable to not ask the Spirits (or whatever) for a photo. Of the six or seven I took. Here’s the one I got when I asked them out loud to please show themselves.  It’s the only photo with orbs. I’m glad they are still around. 

Spirit orbs