Welcome Spring!

Our magnolia tree before the rain

I hope everyone fared well over the winter.  Yes, it's been a while since my last blog. Despite the cold winter months, we found plenty of things to enjoy both outside and inside. We spent our time wisely and rested, celebrated the season, cleared away some clutter (mostly mine), planned our spring and summer gardens, made a list of house projects, and found ways to be mindful. Winter is one of my favorite times to head outside for a walk even with all of the excess clothing. Needless to say, like many of you, I'm thankful and ready for spring. I'm eager to be outside without all of the layers.  

In the spring, we do our share of shedding layers and turning over layers. Sweaters and heavy coats come off. Last season's mulch gets raked away to expose new growth. Layers of protection get removed. 

Blueberry bushes received new mulch

Last season we planted a small orchard and our fruit cocktail tree is in full bloom. In autumn, we closed up the orchard, and wrapped the trees well to protect them from pests that might burrow in the bark over the winter. This past weekend, we removed the tape from the trunks of the trees and sprayed them  (trunks and leaves) with a dormant oil. We cleared the layer of straw from the strawberry patch and straightened some fence posts. The asparagus patch was weeded carefully so as to not disturb the crowns, and the currant and blueberry bushes were weeded out, mounded and mulched. Two varieties of peas were planted, including those that we harvested and dried at the end of the last growing season.  The garlic that we planted last autumn has sprung.  

We emptied the compost from our bins and restarted our compost with layers of green and brown. I'm always amazed how it continues to cook even during the colder months.

I removed the double layers of plastic tarps that insulated the chicken coops and rabbit hutch during the months of freezing temperatures. Speaking of "layers," our hens, though getting up there in age, began to lay again after a good winter's rest.  By next month, the coops will receive a deep cleaning. They are kept up regularly but receive a thorough cleaning once per season or as needed. Any volunteers? Bring safety goggles, a face mask and gloves!

The rain is falling today and I'm grateful that watering the peas won't be necessary. The weather also affords an opportunity to give my aching muscles a break after the weekend. I'm drinking magnolia tea from the petals that we dried before today's rain, and loading up the crock-pot for tonight's dinner of dal makhani (black lentil soup) and naan. There won't be many more days left this season when I feel like preparing soup for dinner. Dal is one of my favorites, with its layers of flavor that include ginger, garlic, cumin, garam masala, and cinnamon, among others.

Have a great week!